Pentagon official on leave over allegations of unauthorized disclosure of classified information

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MARION, SC A former South Carolina state lawmaker and unsuccessful congressional candidate has been placed on leave from her job at the Pentagon during an investigation into allegations of unauthorized disclosure of classified information, her lawyer said.

Since early 2019, Katie Arrington has worked as Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense Acquisition and Sustaining Office, overseeing a cybersecurity initiative.

On May 11, she was informed that her security clearance for access to classified information was suspended following an unauthorized disclosure of classified information and subsequent removal of access by the Agency. security, according to a memo first reported by Bloomberg News. and confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press by Mark Zaid, lawyer for Arringtons.

If this preliminary ruling becomes final, you will not be able to access classified information or tasks that have been designated as sensitive to national security, officials from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Maintenance wrote. in the note, according to Bloomberg.

On Tuesday, Zaid said the Defense Security and Counterintelligence Agency, which conducts federal workforce background investigations, has no active investigation or arbitration action regarding Arrington. He accused security officials of withholding information, now that six weeks have passed since his suspension.

The conduct of the NSA robs Ms. Arrington of due process and harms U.S. national security, Zaid said.

No specific allegations against Arrington have been disclosed and she remains on paid leave, according to Zaid.

Arrington went to work at the Pentagon after a brief political career in South Carolina. A Republican, she was elected to South Carolina State House in 2016. Two years later, she won a GOP primary against US Representative Mark Sanford, who had returned to his seat in Congress after serving two terms in as governor.

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It was Sanford’s very first loss, with Arrington calling his opponent Never Trumper for his criticism of then-President Donald Trump.

During this campaign, Arrington referred to his credentials in the cybersecurity and defense industry as evidence of his experience in the federal government.

But Arrington narrowly lost the general election to newcomer Joe Cunningham, a Democrat who turned the district from red to blue for the first time in decades. At the time, she blamed Sanford for her eventual loss and vowed to seek the seat in the future.

Arrington did not return a text message asking for comment on Tuesday evening, and her attorney said she would not respond to inquiries on the matter.

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