Pantami: DSS is Blameless!
Temitope Ajayi
I think those blaming DSS for not doing proper job by screening out Pantami got it all wrong.
To be clear, during security clearance for senior political appointees, it is not all unfavourable security report that is used as a basis to disqualify appointees.
The political and appointing authorities are at liberty to consider the facts and implications and once the appointing authorities satisfy themselves they can live with an appointee and any fallout, they go ahead to make the appointment regardless of security report.
Security clearance does not necessarily mean that appointees must be angels or without blemish. It is important we are clear about that and not rubbish DSS guys.
I read of the case of a FBI report which indicted former US Vice President, Dick Cheney when he was to be appointed in 1975 as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff to President Gerald Ford. Donald Rumsfeld who was Cheney’s mentor and Chief of Staff to President Ford wanted him as his Deputy.
FBI report indicated that Cheney had been jailed before for traffic crime and was also a drop out from Yale University for poor academic performance. While some of the Senior White House Advisers to President Ford felt appointing Cheney as Deputy Chief of Staff would be wrong on the basis of the FBI report, Rumsfeld felt there was nothing wrong.
Willing to clear any obstacle for his protege, Rumsfeld decided to go to the President himself and make his argument on why Cheney should be appointed regardless of the FBI report. After weighing his options, President Ford told Rumsfeld to go ahead with appointment as long as Rumsfeld can live with any fallout.
