The longtime director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN) was reassigned after a report indicated there were serious shortcomings in counterintelligence including in national laboratories.
U.S. Senator James Lankford has joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch’s effort to raise alarm bells about the reassignment of former director Steven Black. They have questions about the report and the reassignment. They have sent a letter asking Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to avoid giving Black a post which deals with national security.
“We write seeking answers to urgent questions raised by a recent personnel decision within the Department of Energy,” wrote the Senators. “On Tuesday, October 17, we received word that Steven Black, the long-serving Director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN) at the Department of Energy, was suddenly and without explanation reassigned. . . We are also aware that a study conducted by an outside contractor, which the Department has had in its possession since April, outlines disturbing findings as to the state of counterintelligence across the Department, to include the national laboratories.”
“If Director Black presided over DOE-IN over a period of time in which there were serious shortcomings with regard to counterintelligence, he should not be reassigned to any office within the Department that has a national security mission. We request that you refrain from reassigning Director Black to any Department office until we have received answers to these questions,” continued the Senators.
You can read the entire letter to Secretary Granholm below.
Dear Secretary Granholm,
We write seeking answers to urgent questions raised by a recent personnel decision within the Department of Energy (Department).
On Tuesday, October 17, we received word that Steven Black, the long-serving Director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN) at the Department of Energy, was suddenly and without explanation reassigned. We are told he will be taking on a new role as “Senior Advisor” in the Department. We are also aware that a study conducted by an outside contractor, which the Department has had in its possession since April, outlines disturbing findings as to the state of counterintelligence across the Department, to include the national laboratories.
As you are well aware, the Department of Energy and the research it supports, especially at the national laboratories, is among the most important national security work undertaken by this country. The findings in the contractor study, which Congress requested, are deeply concerning. If Director Black presided over DOE-IN over a period of time in which there were serious shortcomings with regard to counterintelligence, he should not be reassigned to any office within the Department that has a national security mission. We request that you refrain from reassigning Director Black to any Department office until we have received answers to these questions.
We request immediate answers to the following questions:
- Why was Director Black reassigned from the role he has held for 11 years? Did the findings outlined in the contractor study factor into your decision to reassign him?
- In which part of the Department will he serve as “Senior Advisor”?
- When were you made aware of the contractor study that was transmitted to DOE-IN on April 24? Do you agree with the findings in the study?
Sincerely,
