Time The number three

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Time: “The number three official at the Central Intelligence Agency, who announced this week he is stepping down as his boss Director Porter Goss leaves later this month, cleared defense contractor Brent Wilkes in for at least one visit to CIA headquarters in Langley, Va., within the last 12 months, sources tell TIME.The visit occurred before Wilkes was cited — though not charged — in ex-congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s November guilty plea as an unindicted co-conspirator who provided over $600,000 of the $2.4 million in bribes that Cunningham admitted accepting from defense contractors … A former CIA official said it was highly unusual to help a friend get access to headquarters.”

I’m eager for more detail on precise dates. Duke didn’t get charged — and Wilkes cited — until November of last year. But the scandal popped in early June 2005 — about 11 months ago.

Wilkes name first surfaced in scandal in mid-July. He was clearly tied to Duke’s scams in early August. And his offices were raided by the Feds on August 16th.

So this new Time piece really leaves me wanting to know whether Foggo was waiving Wilkes into the CIA complex after the Feds were raiding his office back in California.

Latest Editors' Blog
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: