Kevin CollierJul 15, 2023
This is truly jaw-dropping. Absolutely no one's doubting her credentials. A young Black woman already doing the job of acting National Cyber Director can't get formally Senate confirmed in that role because she has debt?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/07/15/kemba-walden-nomination-cyber-director/
Personal debts said to scuttle nomination of Biden’s acting cyber director

The White House has said it won't nominate Kemba Walden to be national cyber director over personal debts. The rationale has stunned colleagues.

The Washington Post
Show threadDaniel AJ SokolovJul 16, 2023
@kevincollier
I don't know the details/politics of this specific case. But I know that #debt is a serious #risk factor for security #clearances. Ask any #intelligence agency.
Show threadRagnell the Mildly UnpleasantJul 16, 2023
@newstik @kevincollier Yeah, but you can still get the clearance as long as you make it clear you have debt. No one's without a weak spot, and if you're honest about yours they expect you'll come to them if someone tries to press your weak spot.
Show threadferricoxideJul 16, 2023
@ragnell @newstik @kevincollier For clearances, it's more the nature of the debt and your ability to eventually clear that debt.
Show threadRagnell the Mildly Unpleasant
@ferricoxide @kevincollier @newstik So it's probably student loan debt, which is unclearable.
Jul 16, 2023 at 7:43pmWeb
Show threadferricoxideJul 16, 2023
@ragnell @kevincollier @newstik

"Clearable" as in "can you retire the debt based on current and like future excess earnings" (where "excess" being what you have after your cost of living).


There's a reason so much of the DC area federal workforce lives in PG county and deeper suburbs of Maryland and Virginia: cost of living is considerably lower than if they were to live within public transit distance of their jobs.