Each time we hear more about the unfolding situation with the takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the story gets darker and involves greater abuses of power. My colleague Kate Riga is, as I write, covering a hearing about the incident that happened yesterday. When I last wrote about the story yesterday, I focused on the fact that the DC Metropolitan Police Department had sided with DOGE and the purported new directors of the Institute and expelled the incumbent staff. That remains the case. But based on new filings which Kate told me about during the podcast we recorded a short time ago, I learned that there is an entirely new dimension of the story which is at least as important as the MPD issue and likely more so. I’ve now had a chance to do a brief review of the court filings from the USIP. I’m going to give you a very brief overview now and then probably either Kate or I or perhaps both of us will have more information later in the day.
So here’s the gist.
Yesterday I noted that when DOGE showed up on Monday at the USIP offices, they came with what appeared to be private security in addition to FBI agents. It turns out that those private security people were USIP’s own security contractors, only they’d switched sides to DOGE. That contractor is called “Inter-Con.” Realizing that DOGE might try to suborn Inter-Con, the USIP’s head of security had already canceled Inter-Con’s contract and that cancelation had been acknowledged. USIP was able to close out Inter-Con’s swipe badges, but there was one physical key they had not been able to get possession of yet. That key was in the hands of Kevin Simpson, the Inter-Con account manager for USIP. It was that physical key, which Simpson brought to the offices on Monday, which allowed DOGE to get into the building. Once they made entry they immediately made for the gun safe and took possession of the premises. DC Metro Police were also soon on the scene and ordered the incumbent staff to leave.
Now, why did Inter-Con switch sides? Why did they continue acting as security contractors after their contract had been terminated? According to the sworn declaration of the USIP head of security Colin O’Brien, Derick Hanna, Vice President of Inter-Con, told O’Brien that “DOGE threatened to cancel every federal contract Inter-Con held if they did not come to the USIP building and let Kenneth Jackson [the purported new head of the Institute] inside.”
How big a threat was that? According to USASpending, Inter-Con has $209 million in government contractors currently. So it sounds like DOGE made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.
As I said, we’ll have more information on this breaking story as it becomes available.
