Summary
The applicant, a 43-year-old senior systems administrator, faced security clearance denial under Guidelines E (Personal Conduct) and F (Financial Considerations) due to admitted debts and falsifications on his application regarding drug use and employment terminations. The judge found that the applicant failed to mitigate the security concerns stemming from his financial issues and lack of candor during the clearance process.
Under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations), the Statement of Reasons alleged the following: deliberately falsified his SCA by failing to disclose that he was charged with and convicted of wrongful use of cocaine (2.a). failing to disclose the judgments entered against him (2.b). failing to disclose that he had been fired from a job in March 2016 (2.c). falsified material facts during an interview with a security investigator in August 2017 (2.d). judgment for $1,805, filed in 2014 (1.a). judgment for $1,884, filed in 2015 (1.b). judgment for $961, filed in 2017 and satisfied by garnishment (1.c). home-mortgage loan past due for $3,030, with a balance of $223,668 (1.d). medical debt placed for collection of $2,223 (1.e). charge account placed for collection of $2,298 (1.f). medical debt placed for collection of $543 (1.g). medical debts placed for collection of $190 (1.h). medical debts placed for collection of $166 (1.i). credit-card account charged off for $3,859 (1.j). collection accounts for $638 (1.k). collection accounts for $489 (1.l).
The judge denied the clearance. The government raised disqualifying conditions AG ¶ 19(a), AG ¶ 19(c), AG ¶ 16(a), AG ¶ 16(b). The judge applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(d). The decision turned on the following: The applicant admitted to numerous delinquent debts, demonstrating an inability to satisfy financial obligations; The applicant falsified information on his security clearance application regarding past drug use and employment terminations, raising significant trustworthiness concerns.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant admitted to numerous delinquent debts, demonstrating an inability to satisfy financial obligations.
- The applicant falsified information on his security clearance application regarding past drug use and employment terminations, raising significant trustworthiness concerns.
Conditions Referenced
- AG ¶ 19(a)appliedInability to Satisfy Debts
- AG ¶ 19(c)appliedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- AG ¶ 16(a)appliedDeliberate Omission, Concealment, or Falsification of Relevant Facts
- AG ¶ 16(b)appliedDeliberately Providing False or Misleading Information
- AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors
Key Rule Quoted
“An applicant has the ultimate burden of demonstrating that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue his security clearance.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedApr 30, 2019
- Answer filedMay 25, 2019
- Hearing heldAug 28, 2019
- Decision dateOct 7, 2019
Cite For
- Failure to Mitigate Financial Issues Under Guideline F
- Lack of Candor in Security Clearance Applications Under Guideline E
- Importance of Demonstrating Good-faith Efforts to Resolve Debts