Open Letter on SF-86 Disclosure

Dr. Jeff T.H. Pon Director, Office of Personnel Management

Director Daniel Coats Director of National Intelligence

Dear Director Pon and Director Coats,

As former national security professionals, we have all served our country—some of us in uniform, others as intelligence, diplomatic, law enforcement, or national security professionals. We did so not for the prestige, and not for the paycheck, but because we wanted to give back: representing, advocating for, and protecting the United States at home and around the world. We asked for very little in return, assuming only that the country we served would always have our backs.

As such, it was with surprise, anger, and profound disappointment that we recently learned that our government—whether intentionally or not—violated the trust of one among our ranks. The New York Times reported this month that the Executive Branch released in full the confidential national security questionnaire, or SF-86, of Abigail Spanberger, who served as a CIA case officer until 2014. The SF-86 is one of the most confidential and sensitive documents the U.S. government requires its national security officials to file. Neither we, nor national security law experts we have consulted, are familiar with any previous case of an SF-86 being released in full, to include Social Security Number and medical history, pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, as was reportedly done in this case.

We have yet to hear an adequate explanation as to why Ms. Spanberger’s sensitive personal information was released and subsequently made public by House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Political Action Committee, the Congressional Leadership Fund. It is possible this situation may be the result of a single person’s error. Nevertheless, we note how peculiar it would be for the first victim of such an error to be Ms. Spanberger, who is the Democratic nominee in a competitive U.S. House of Representatives race in Virginia. To be clear, Ms. Spanberger’s current political ambitions should have absolutely nothing to do with the obligation of the Executive Branch to safeguard her personal and confidential information. Absent answers, however, we cannot dismiss the deeply troubling possibility that this was an act of political retribution by this administration in violation of U.S. law.

Ultimately, this is about more than Ms. Spanberger’s case or our own concern for the security of our personal information. Each year, thousands of aspiring public servants file this same document, hoping to serve their country, just as we did. They must be confident that their information will be handled securely and never released pursuant to a political agenda.

They, we, and Ms. Spanberger deserve answers.

List of Signatories

David V. Adams Rand Beers Former Senior Director for Resilience Policy, Former Deputy Homeland Security Advisor National Security Council and Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security TJ Adams-Falconer Former White House Media Affairs Manager Jacob Bell Former Press Assistant, Department of Cynthia H. Akuetteh Commerce Former U.S. Ambassador Daniel Benaim Andrew Albertson Former Middle East Advisor to the Vice Former Executive Director, Foreign Policy for President America Ariana Berengaut Samar Ali Former State Department and USAID Former White House Fellow Speechwriter

Liz Allen Rob Berschinski Former White House and State Department Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Communications Alexander Bick Michael Amato Former Director for Syria, National Security Former Communications Director, U.S. Office Council of Personnel Management John Bisognano John Amaya Former Associate Director, White House Former Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Immigration Office of Public Engagement and Customs Enforcement Antony Blinken Manpreet Singh Anand Former Deputy Secretary of State and Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Deputy National Security Advisor

Hattie Babbitt Josh Blumenfeld Former Deputy Administrator of USAID Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Lauren E. Baer Peter Boogaard Former Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ambassador to the U.N. Department of Homeland Security

Daniel Baer Spencer P. Boyer Former U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Former National Intelligence Officer for Europe Jeremy Bash Former Chief of Staff, CIA and Department of J. Todd Breasseale Defense Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Andrew Bates Former Press Secretary, Office of the U.S. Rebecca Brocato Trade Representative Former Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Rosa Brooks Elinor G. Constable Former Counselor to the Undersecretary of Former U.S. Ambassador Defense for Policy Peter Brian Crail Allyn Brooks-LaSure Former Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary Former Foreign Service Officer of State for Arms Control and International Security Liana Brooks-Rubin Former Deputy Director, State/PRM/ANE Jason Crow Former Captain, U.S. Army Brittany Brown Former Acting Senior Director for African Leo Cruz Affairs, National Security Council Former Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Frances Brown Former Director for Democracy, National Luis C. deBaca Security Council Former U.S. Ambassador

Brett Bruen Robert Diamond Former Director of Global Engagement, Former Special Assistant to the President National Security Council Sarah Dietch Judith L. Bryan Former Assistant Administrator Legislative Former Senior Foreign Service Officer Affairs, TSA

Jillian Burger Shauna Dillavou Former Staff Officer Former Analyst, U.S. Government

Pamela Campos Kitty Bartels Di Martino Former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Analyst Former Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Andrew Cedar Former Senior Director for Global Megan Doherty Engagement, National Security Council Former Director for North Africa, National Security Council Wendy J. Chamberlin Former U.S. Ambassador Daniel Dolgin Former Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff Katrina Chan to the Director of National Intelligence Former Protocol Officer, U.S. Department of State Joy Drucker Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ben Chang Legislative Affairs Former Foreign Service Officer Noah Eden Carrol Chang Former Branch Chief, National Former Advisor to the Director, USCIS Counterterrorism Center

Gilbert Cisneros Dianna English Former Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy Former Director of African Affairs, National Security Council Dr. Evelyn Farkas Michael Fuchs Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Mieke Eoyang Former Subcommittee Staff Director, HPSCI Dan Futrell Former Captain, Infantry, U.S. Army Elisa Catalano Ewers Former NSC and US State Department Official Suzy George Former Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary to Dan Feehan the National Security Council Former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Anna Gohmann Mark Feierstein Former Special Assistant to the Administrator, Former Senior Director for Western Hemisphere USAID Affairs, National Security Council Jennifer Goldstein Sarah Feinberg Former Foreign Service Officer Former Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration Juan S. Gonzalez Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Steven Joel Feldstein Western Hemisphere Affairs Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Mary Beth Goodman Former Special Assistant to the President John W. Ficklin Former Special Assistant to the President for Andrew Gumbiner National Security Affairs Former Press Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Julia Finley Heather Gutierrez Former Foreign Affairs Officer Former Staff Officer, Office of the Executive Secretary, National Security Council YJ Julie Fischer Former Assistant Coordinator for Iran Nuclear Anthony Harrington Implementation, State Department Former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil

Marti Flacks Nina Hachigian Former Director for African Affairs, National Former Ambassador to Association of Southeast Security Council Asian Nations

Price Floyd Hope Hall Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Former Principal Presidential Videographer Defense for Public Affairs J. Alex Harman Dean Forest Former White House Liaison, U.S. Department of U.S. Army Veteran Homeland Security

Douglas Frantz Brian Hawthorne Former Assistant Secretary of State Former Senior Assistant

Julia Frifield Caitlin Hayden Former Assistant Secretary of State for Former Special Assistant to the President Legislative Affairs Mary Jennings "MJ" Hegar Gina Ortiz Jones Former Combat Rescue Pilot Former Director for Investment, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Daniel Herman Former Special Assistant to the Under Matt Kaczmarek Secretary of Defense Former Department of State White House Liaison Bruce Heyman Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Erica Kaster Former Deputy Country Representative, Kathleen H. Hicks USAID Office of Transition Initiatives, Libya Former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Laura Kennedy Former U.S. Ambassador Heather A Higginbottom Former Deputy Secretary of State for Andy Kim Management and Resources Former Director for Iraq, National Security Council Adam Hodge Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Trevor Kincaid Treasury Department Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Laura S. H. Holgate Former Special Assistant to the President for Jeremy Konyndyk Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Former Director, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, USAID Brett Holmgren Former Special Assistant to the President Stephen Krupin Former Senior Presidential Speechwriter Victoria K. Holt Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lisa Kubiske Former U.S. Ambassador Sarah Horowitz Former Deputy Press Secretary, U.S. Charles Kupchan Commerce Department Former Special Assistant to the President

Chrissy Houlahan Christopher Le Mon Former U.S. Air Force Officer Former Special Assistant to the President

Celes Eckerman Hughes S.Y. Lee Former Professional Staff, House Former Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Committee Spokesman

Joe Hurd Rafael Lemaitre Former Senior Director, Export Promotion and Former Director of Public Affairs, FEMA Trade Policy, Department of Commerce Benjamin M. Levine Shin Inouye Former Special Assistant for Global Former Press Secretary and Acting Senior Economics and Finance, National Security Advisor, USCIS Council David Litt Jessica Morse Former Senior Presidential Speechwriter Former Policy Advisor, U.S. Pacific Command

Rory MacFarquhar David Mortlock Former Senior Director for Global Economics Former Director for International Economic and Finance, National Security Council Affairs, National Security Council

Kelly Magsamen Sarah Moss Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Former Special Assistant, U.S. Department of of Defense Justice

Tom Malinowski Blake Narendra Former Assistant Secretary of State for Former Special Adviser, U.S. Department of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor State

Eileen A. Malloy Scott Nathan Former U.S. Ambassador Former Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, U.S. Michael V. McClary Department of State Former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Materials Security, Department of Dorie Nolt Energy Former Press Secretary, U.S. Department of Education Dan McCready Former U.S. Marine Corps Officer Neil Noronha Former Special Assistant to Senior Director Nancy McEldowney for Response Policy, National Security Former U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria Council

Amy McGrath Suzanne Nossel Former U.S. Marine Corps Officer Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Brian P. McKeon James C. O’Brien Former Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Former Special Presidential Envoy Defense for Policy Richard N. Ojeda Bernadette Meehan Former Major, U.S. Army Former Foreign Service Officer and National Security Council Spokesperson Matthew Olsen Former Director, National Counterterrorism Thomas Melia Center Former Assistant Administrator, USAID Kimberly Olson Andrew Miller Former Foreign Service Officer Former Director for Egypt and Israel Military Issues, National Security Council Scott A. Olson Former Professional Associate Malia K. Du Mont Former Director of Strategy, Office of the Jennifer Palmieri Secretary of Defense Former White House Communications Director Erin Pelton Anne C. Richard Former Foreign Service Officer Former Assistant Secretary of State

Heather Peterson Patrick Rodenbush Former Foreign Affairs Specialist Former Assistant Press Secretary

Rusty D. Pickens Daniel J. Rosenthal Former Senior Advisor for Digital Platforms, Former Director for Counterterrorism, National U.S. Department of State Security Council

Farhat Popal Joel Rubin Former Senior Program Analyst, U.S. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Government Legislative Affairs

Eric G. Postel Josh Rudolph Former Associate Administrator, USAID Former Director, National Security Council

Samantha Power Patrick Ryan Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Former Intelligence Officer, U.S. Army Nations Jonathan Scanlon Jeffrey Prescott Former Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of Former Special Assistant to the President and State Senior Director, National Security Council Loren DeJonge Schulman Ned Price Former Senior Advisor to the National Security Former CIA Senior Analyst and Special Advisor Assistant to the President George B. Scott Michael J. Pyle Former U.S. Army Officer Former Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Daniel B. Shapiro Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Gautam Raghavan Former Deputy White House Liaison, U.S. Wendy R. Sherman Department of Defense Former Undersecretary for Political Affairs

Dr. Dafna H. Rand Mikie Sherrill Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Former U.S. Navy Officer

Philippe Reines Amanda Simpson Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

Emily Renard Amanda Sloat Formerly Departments of Defense and State Former Deputy Assistant Secretary

Christina Reynolds Elissa Slotkin Former Special Assistant to the President and Former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Director of Media Affairs International Security Affairs

Ben Rhodes Dana Shell Smith Deputy National Security Advisor Former U.S. Ambassador Julianne Smith Beth Van Schaack Former Deputy National Security Advisor to Former Deputy Ambassador at Large for War the Vice President Crimes Issues

Douglas Andrew Smith Joel Velasco Former Assistant Secretary, Department of Former Special Assistant to the Vice Homeland Security President

Eric Snyderman Toni G. Verstandig Former Senior Advisor to the Assistant Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Secretary for Border, Immigration, and Trade Policy, Department of Homeland Security Alex Wagner Former Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Nancy Soderberg Army Former Deputy National Security Advisor Meridith Webster Arsalan Suleman Former Special Assistant to the President Former Acting Special Envoy to the OIC and Senior Advisor to White House Chief of Staff Jake Sullivan Former National Security Advisor to the Vice Thomas West President and Director of Policy Planning at Former Director for Afghanistan and the State Department Pakistan, National Security Council

Maura Sullivan Moira Whelan Former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept of Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Veterans Affairs for Digital Strategy

Terence Szuplat Joel Willett Former Special Assistant to the President Former CIA Directorate of Operations

Caroline Tess Doug Wilson Former Special Assistant to the President Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Colin Thomas-Jensen Former Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Mission to Jon Wolfsthal the UN Former Senior Director, National Security Council Wesley Thompson Former Senior Advisor, Bureau of International Allison Wright Information Programs Former Executive Director, U.S. Department of State Shawn S. Turner Former Director of Communication for Sarah Yerkes National Intelligence Former Civil Servant, U.S. Department of State William Tuttle Former Director for Turkish, Greek and Cypriot Matthew Zeller Affairs, National Security Council Former Intelligence Officer, CIA