Whoa. I know "spooks" is a term for spies/CIA types, but in this case, this just seems like an astoundingly ill-advised use of slang.
I certainly hope they were talking about the gentlemen who stepped down or were fired from the CIA? A very unfortunate choice of words to be sure.
So true: Let me tell you a little story.
Once upon a time in a former life I worked on classified programs where we had as our long time Security Officer an absolute salt of the earth black gal who in my opinion was the better at that very difficutl job than anyone I ever dealt with. One day she asked me a question that I no longer remember but it related to something that puzzled her in some way about our program and why we were doing some of the seemingly crazy things that we were doing.
I remember my answer to her like it was yesterday: "Just think about it, you're a spook, you'll figure it out."
Well needless to say, I felt badly about that comment. The good news for me: She didn't even blink an eye but I'm not sure to this day what she might have actually been thinking. The fact of the matter is that my comment was intended as compliment. I think she took it as one but who knows for sure?