It's the End of CIFA As We Know It…

The Pengtagon has made it official: The Counterintelligence Field Activity is no more.

It’s being rechristened the Defense Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence Center and put under the authority of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Effective August 3, all CIFA personnel and its contractors will start reporting to DIA. CIFA was run by a civilian, but the DCHIC will be run by a  two-star general who reports to Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, the head of the DIA.

In the business world, this would be called a merger and there would be all sorts of talk of synergies. The DIA has its own human intelligence or HUMINT service, which brought us the infamous Iraqi informant known as Curveball who sold a bunch of bs in the hopes of getting a Green card.

But the truth is that CIFA’s days were numbered ever since its director and his deputy resigned in the wake of the Randy “Duke” Cunningham scandal. Duke helped create CIFA, and then allowed it to become a playground for his Rolls-Royce supplier and personal antiques shopper, Mitchell Wade.

But that’s not to say that CIFA is a bad idea. DoD counterintelligence is an important job. Just look at all the spy cases that came out of the Defense Department like the Walker spy ring, Jonathan Pollard, Ronald Pelton, and so on. Somebody needs to guard the henhouse.

It appears that the new agency has authority that CIFA never did. It is being granted “administrative and management oversight of national security investigations (e.g., espionage) and related activities conducted by DoD CI organizations.” Contrast that with CIFA, which was a “single coordination focal point” for these matters. Whatever that means.

The Candidate Who Wasn't

The Delicia Holt story keeps getting better!!!

Delicia may or may not be a candidate for Congress in my district (California’s 53rd) who sells “youth juice” on her website. She says she’s raised nearly a quarter million dollars but her name isn’t on the ballot.

She has posted the answers to all 36 questions she received from Martin Wisckol, a reporter at the OC Register, who has been asking questions about Delicia because our local scribes are too busy sending out resumes.

Here answers are just…Well, see for yourself. (The site is found here.)

Q. Is it true and accurate that you raised $216,778 from donors as documented on your FEC documents?

A. Over the years and all of which will be used for my campaign in 2010 as has been fully noted on my website and we sent out press releases to certain organizations when that decision was made.

Translation: I’ve raised tens of dollars for my campaign.

Q. I wrote all 217 of your donors at the addresses listed on the FEC documents, inquiring about their support for your campaign. None responded that they had given you money. Eight responded that they definitely had not given you money. Can you explain this discrepancy?

A. I believe everyone has the right to privacy and I respect that right.

Translation: I’m preparing for office by swindling voters before I get elected.

Q. Where are you keeping the balance — $239,476 according to your FEC forms – of your contributions?

A. in a bank, which with the closure of the recent banks may not be the wisest decision.

Translation: It’s in my closet.

Q. Are you aware that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating your real estate dealings?

A. No, but I am not hard to locate, so if they need access to me they know where to find me, especially since I have interviewed for positions in their office.

Translation: Delicia who?

Q. Is there anything else you can say to help explain the concerns raised in any of  the above questions?

A. Approximately a month or so ago, I spoke to (conservative talk show host) Roger (Hedgecock) and he told me to “watch my back”. I guess he knows how cruel people can be to one another, better than anyone.  I was also told that sometimes people strike at others when they are attempting to deflect scrutiny of themselves.  I have faith that no matter what people attempt to do to discredit me and my efforts, which no man can be against me, as long as God is for me!

Translation: Spoken like a true politician!

Brent Wilkes' Secret Admirer

Just got back from court. For the Cunningham junkies: The judge shot down Brent Wilkes’ request to have his secret admirer bail him out of prison.

For the rest of you: Wilkes, a former defense contractor, was sentenced in February to 12 years for bribing former Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham with hookers, cash, and meals at DC’s Capital Grille. But Wilkes has been eating daily specials at Terminal Island FCI in San Pedro for weeks because he can’t come up with $1.4 million in collateral to secure release.

Some unnamed person was willing to bail Wilkes out, but only if he or she can shield their identity from the public. The judge, Larry Burns, said no. Either you step up and say “I’m with Brent the consequences be damned” or Wilkes stays in the clink. Larry stressed that he’s not trying to make Brent’s life hell, even though he did call him a lying sack of shit who’s an “economic danger” to the community. Whatever that means.

The reporters there asked me if I knew who this person is. I have no idea.

Wilkes’ attorney did offer a clue. He talked about how a person at a “publicly-traded company” might have obligations that go beyond him or herself. Such a person has “fiduciary” duties. Here’s the legal definition of a fiduciary duty:

A fiduciary duty is an obligation to act in the best interest of another party. For instance, a corporation’s board member has a fiduciary duty to the shareholders, a trustee has a fiduciary duty to the trust’s beneficiaries, and an attorney has a fiduciary duty to a client….

A person acting in a fiduciary capacity is held to a high standard of honesty and full disclosure in regard to the client and must not obtain a personal benefit at the expense of the client.

Any ideas out there?

San Diego For Sale

From (Not) The Los Angeles Times:

Although San Diego is the nation’s eighth-largest city, it has often endured second-class treatment in its home state. The Los Angeles Times, for example, regularly refers to “Southern California” as a region that doesn’t extend below Orange County.

The truth hurts.

The Candidate Who Wasn't

My representative in Congress, Democrat Susan Davis, is being “challenged” by a Republican named Delicia Holt. Holt reported raising $216,000 but her name isn’t on the ballot.  The Orange County Register dug in a bit deeper:

The Register wrote each of the 217 donors at the addresses listed on Holt’s federal financial filings, inquiring about their donations. Not a single one responded that they had supported the would-be candidate.

The Register heard back from eight of the listed donors – all said they had not given Holt money, and six said they’d never heard of her….

Most of those listed as donors no longer lived at the addresses listed – 165 of the 217 letters were returned as undeliverable. Records show that at least 96 lost their homes to foreclosure.

Holt ran in 2006 against Randy “Duke” Cunningham as a self-described “intelligence security analyst.” She sells $45 bottles of “youth juice” on her campaign website, which says she’s running.

Why would someone fake their own campaign?