Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to Robert J. Spidel, June 22, 1999

ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR. 315 Cannon House OreiSe Building Washington. DC 20515 ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAJORITY WHIP Congress ot tije ®ntteb States Souse ot iUptESentartoeS JMtagfjington, ]B€ 20515—2002 June 22, 1999 Colonel Robert J. Spidel Commander U.S. Army Garrison, Aberdeen Proving Ground 2201 Aberdeen Boulevard Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. 21005-5001 Dear Colonel Spidel: Thank you for your correspondence of June 16, 1999 regarding potential access to confidential Commercial Activities (CA) related material by employees affiliated with companies involved in the CA bid process. Subsequent to my letter of June 7, 1999 wherein I reference an anonymous source who alleged those employees could access such information, a member of my staff, Mr. Ken Ziegler, met with officials of the union representing affected employees. . Specifically, Mr. Ziegler met with Mr. Henry Scott, Business Representative of District Lodge 12 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM&AW), Mr. Austin Dennison, Acting President of IAM&AW Lodge 2424, and Mr. Don Coulter, Vice President of IAM&AW Lodge 2424. Mr. Coulter advised he has been in contact with Mr. Jim Powlen, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (СШ) at Aberdeen Proving Ground. At that time Mr. Coulter claimed to confirm the existence of a report indicating on August 28, 1 998 unknown person/s entered building 5256, the location of the Commercial Activity (CA) Core Team workplace, after normal business hours, and activated a. computer which could access sensitive government CA information. Additionally, Mr. Coulter advised inadequate key control for building 5256 resulted in keys not being accounted for and the locks were subsequently changed. Ms. Diane Spampinato, a Directorate of Public Works CA Team Leader advised computers in this building network with the Directorate of Information Management and would thereby allow access to all government CA infomjation. In conversation with Mr. Scott, Mr. Ziegler was informed employees affiliated with companies involved in the bid process were allowed unrestricted access to buildings in which functions targeted by the ongoing CA were performed. According to Mr. Scott, these buildings were supposed to be posted as restricted and affiliated employees were to have limited and controlled access to the buildings. Additionally, Mr. Scott knows the identity of the individual who alleged affiliated employees could have accessed government CA information. Further, again according to Mr. Scott, this individual claims to have knowledge that the employees did in fact access the information and the source is willing to cooperate with any formal investigation