It's too bad the Silberman-Robb commission literature fails to note three of its professional staff members' employment by MZM, Inc. (and a bit strange to neglect that part of their recent biographies). But Kenneth Geide's employment history is especially interesting given what we've learned about how the Pentagon Counter Intelligence Field Activity was conceived of by officials who first awarded CIFA contracts to MZM, and then went to work for MZM. From the Silberman-Robb commission professional staff list:

Kenneth Geide

Intelligence Professional. Currently a Special Advisor to the Director, DoD Counterintelligence Field Activity. Retired as a FBI Senior Executive after 30 years of service. Served as Agent in investigative, analytical and supervisory positions in the field and at headquarters. Chief of the Economic Counterintelligence Program, Deputy Director of the National Infrastructure Protection Center.

Just how many people from the Pentagon's CIFA went on to work at MZM?

The Post's Walter Pincus recently reported that James King, another professional staff member of the Silberman-Robb commission, the number two at MZM and now the chief executive officer of MZM's successor Athena Innovative Solutions, was also a special advisor to the director of the DOD Counter Intelligence Field Activity, David A. Burtt II -- before King went to work for MZM:

CIFA has had a connection to MZM dating to its formation, said congressional and administration sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigations. Burtt, who was a deputy assistant secretary of defense for counterintelligence at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, developed the concept for CIFA.

A consultant to Burtt on the CIFA project was retired Lt. Gen. James C. King, who joined MZM after retiring in late 2001 as director of the Pentagon-based National Imagery and Mapping Agency. In August 2005, investment firm Veritas Capital bought MZM and changed its name to Athena Innovative Solutions Inc. King, who replaced Wade as president of MZM in June 2005, has remained president of Athena. A spokesman for Athena said yesterday that neither King nor the company would comment on MZM or matters under investigation.

Will the federal investigators now probing how MZM got those CIFA contracts examine how some of those same MZM employees formerly employed by CIFA got hired by a White House commission? And under what auspices MZM was seemingly hired by the White House commission?

Update: Which "federal investigators" precisely are investigating the MZM contracts with CIFA? In an earlier Post piece, Pincus reported, "The MZM investigation is being carried out by the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. attorney's offices in the District of Columbia and San Diego, according to one law enforcement official."

Update II: This April 2004 conference agenda describes Kenneth Geide as a Vice President of MZM.

Update III: Fellow blogger eRiposte of the Left Coaster points out that he noted to me many months ago that one of his readers, PC, noticed the MZM/Silberman-Robb Commission connection back in December. "Incidentally, John Quattrocki, one of MZM's senior execs, was on the National Security Council from 2002-2004. He also helped write the Robb-Silberman Commission report.”

Posted by Laura at March 21, 2006 02:03 PM