Senate oversight committee questions role of contractors in intelligence community

07/03/12: Secrecy News reports persistent questions about the US intelligence community (IC)’s reliance on contractors to perform or support core mission functions were explored in a partially closed hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee last year.  A redacted transcript of the classified session of the hearing was included in a hearing volume which was recently published.  Among other things, “questions have been raised about whether some [intelligence] contracting firms hold undue influence within the IC because senior intelligence officials are often recruited from, and often return to, these firms.”  “A ‘revolving door’ where employees move between public and private sector service increases the risk that decisions made by either contractor or government employees could be influenced by past professional relationships or potential future employment opportunities,” reports say.