Breaking: State Department “Has Assessed Culpability to 15 Individuals”

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“Consistent with longstanding policy, the Department does not release the names of current or former employees participating in the security incident program. However, in the spirit of cooperation, the Department can share with you certain information about the status of the ongoing review. To this point, the Department has assessed culpability to 15 individuals, some of whom were culpable in multiple security incidents. DS has issued 23 violations and 7 infractions incidents under 12 FAM 550. This number will likely change as the review progresses,” Assistant Secretary of Bureau of Legislative Affairs Mary Elizabeth Taylor wrote.

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“Consistent with the referral policy, for individuals who were still employed with the Department at the time of adjudication, the Department referred all valid security violations or multiple infractions to the Bureau of Human Resources. In reviewing any violation of agency policy including policies regarding the appropriate handling of classified or sensitive information, the Department may consider a broad range of disciplinary or other administrative actions. These may include, depending upon the circumstances, counseling, reprimand, suspension, and/or separation. For example, the Department’s discipline policies for employees are laid out in the Foreign Affairs Manual, 3 FAM 4100, 4300 and 4500, and apply to violations of statutes, regulations, or Department policy as stated in the Foreign Affairs Manual or Handbook, Department Notices or ALDA Cs, or bureau or post policy documents,” Mary Elizabeth Taylor added.

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