Speeches & Interviews 2013

Speeches & Interviews 2013

Not surprisingly, the two major issues that have been occupying my time recently have been budget issues and the fallout from the Snowden leaks. I spent the first part of October working almost entirely alone in our office, supported just by my deputy, advising on who was allowed to work and what they were allowed to do. And also responding to inquiries from people who did not seem to comprehend that when (a) Congress prohibits personnel from working when they aren’t paid, and (b) the Intelligence Community isn’t appropriated funds to pay personnel, then (c) most IC personnel won’t be able to work.

"Good afternoon this is John DeLong, director of compliance at NSA. Been a busy day, I do want to cover a few things first. I think the most important thing for everyone to understand is that no one at NSA thinks a mistake is okay. That's really got to get out there. We have an internal oversight and compliance program for the purpose of -- of multiple purposes. Preventing mistakes and then when mistakes do occur, to detect them and correct them at the earliest point possible."

Robert Litt, ODNI General Counsel, appeared on a panel at the Newseum co-sponsored by the ABA and Medill School of Journalism entitled “NSA Surveillance Leaks: Facts & Fiction” on June 25, 2013.

I wish that I was here in happier times for the Intelligence Community. The last several weeks have seen a series of reckless disclosures of classified information about intelligence activities. These disclosures threaten to cause long-lasting and irreversible harm to our ability to identify and respond to the many threats facing our Nation.

Most of us know, because we’ve worked in this business for a while, that the business of intelligence is a little iffy, and at the moment, it’s a little chancier than usual.