Watt a Liar: Energy Department Hopeful Busted for False Info

By now, you would think security clearance applicants would know to be up front and honest about marijuana use, seeing as how ODNI and OPM have put out policy guidance stating prior use is not an automatic disqualifier. Yet, we still see an abundance of appeal cases where the applicant lies about prior use and ends up getting denied eligibility. Here are the highlights of a Department of Energy (DOE) appeals case involving just this.

Here is the DOE applicant’s timeline for his security clearance processing:

• Submitted an SF-86 in 2019 for his DOE intern position and was granted eligibility. Answered “No” to all drug use questions.
• After losing his internship with DOE he submitted another SF-86 in 2020 for a different agency and answered “No” to all drug use questions.
• During a polygraph for the 2020 application / position, when asked about any drug use, he again answered “No”. The polygraph results were not favorable. He went back for a second polygraph and the polygrapher keyed in on the drug use question. The applicant finally admitted to using marijuana once in 2016 and again in 2019 (a month after getting his security clearance).
• Applicant submitted a third SF-86 in 2024 for a DOE position and again omitted his marijuana use despite having failed a polygraph for lying about it.

During his appeals hearing, the applicant stated he falsified his latest SF-86 because he assumed his previous submissions and polygraph would not be checked. Obviously, this was a very bad assumption on his part and made the decision easy for the judge to deny his appeal.