Ex-employee of U.S. State Department sentenced for snooping of presidential candidates’ passport files
A former employee of the U.S. State Department has been sentenced for snooping of passport files of President Barack Obama and other then-presidential candidates last year, the Justice Department said on Monday.
The employee, Dwayne Cross, 41, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, according to a statement from the department.
“Cross admitted that he had no official government reason to access and view these passport applications, but that his sole purpose in accessing and viewing these passport applications was idle curiosity,” the Justice Department statement said.....
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/24/content_11060325.htm
The State Department spokesman at the time confirmed Barack Obama’s file had been viewed three times by State Department contractors. Spokesman Sean McCormack said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had personally apologized to the candidates and promised an investigation.
The files contain passport applications, extensive private personal data, and other records with biographical information.
Former foreign service officer and intelligence analyst Lawrence Yontz pled guilty to a similar offense and was sentenced in December to one year of probation. Former foreign service officer Gerald Leuders has also pled guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing.
I thought they were contractors that peeked. More likely it was insiders purging ala Sandy Berger.