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American Morning

Ask CNN: Who Does Security Clearances and Background Checks for FBI?

Aired December 27, 2001 - 07:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CANNEZZARO (ph): Hi, my name's Chris Cannezzaro (ph) from Los Angeles, California, and I'd like to know, who does security clearances and background checks for the FBI?

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The FBI conducts its own background checks on every person who applies for employment with the agency, and that's a lot of people since the FBI employs about 11,400 special agents and 16,000 professional support personnel.

The background checks include a look at a person's finances, verification of items listed on their employment application, and it also can include interviews with family members and even neighbors. Anyone who has such a background check can request the content of his or her own report through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.

The agency can update these background checks to do periodic checks particularly when a person is being granted greater access to sensitive or classified material. In addition the FBI does the checking on other government agencies such as the White House, Department of Justice, the Administration Office of the U.S. Court and certain House and Senate committees and many political appointees, even cabinet secretary.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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