Report: Government Audit Shows Flawed Top-Secret Clearances at Pentagon

A government audit found that the Pentagon may have allowed top-secret clearances for applicants with "significant derogatory information" on their records in 2008, the Washington Times reported.

The audit, published last month by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), showed that as many as one in four prospective employees had troubling backgrounds -- including a record of foreign influence and a criminal past, according to the newspaper.

The review reportedly found that some clearances issued had no record from the Pentagon explaining why the applicants were approved -- despite "significant derogatory information" found in background checks.

Lawmakers say the findings indicate a flawed system in selecting Defense Department staff -- one that puts the country's national security at risk.

"At present, we're basically operating on faith. This shouldn't be a faith-based process," Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, the California Democrat and chairman of a House intelligence subcommittee that oversees personnel and management issues, told The Washington Times.

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