Bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) aim to halt the use of Department of Defense (DoD) computer networks for downloading or distributing child porn.
Hundreds of government employees were implicated as part of ICE’s 2006 “Operation Flicker” – which identified over 5,000 individuals who had used credit cards or PayPal to buy child porn, or subscribe to websites that offered the material. Of those, ICE identified 264 DoD employees or contractors who had purchased child pornography online.
Nine of them had “Top Secret Sensitive Compartmentalized Information” security clearances, while 76 of them held clearances of Secret or higher.
Here’s the kicker: Of those 264 DoD suspects, just 52 were investigated by the Pentagon’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), meaning the Bush administration willfully ignored over 200 suspected pedophiles working for the Defense Department.
The new bill, The End Network Abuse Act will require the Pentagon to enter into contracts with groups which will be involved in the effort, including law enforcement, social services, child protection services and trauma-informed healthcare providers. It would also provide for additional training and technical expertise among military investigators, according to The Hill. – READ MORE