CoyertAction Ree Ree “The Power of Clout: How PR, Lobbying and Special Interests Buy Influence "those who have resources have oat those who dn’ don.” ‘Doug inghan flan Care Joyce Neon J Oo, Jack Cothou, Chip Hee Trond ace Somalia: Adding "Humanitarian Intervention” to the U.S. Arsenal ‘Alex de Waal and Rakiya Omaar Spring 1993 (Number 44) 95.50Gu Dak sews Sri e— Thete io The neni amen Bane ech ey wee" Cats won dukton he fo Ovi nesses Tae She me 07 2a Inge ot sce ad jmere ey sone lsncig ik fom Arb romps eo fn ean eas ut a re eee, neh seb een MamParU's tncrdeneMiloy only sepso planed he peta Bod phigh otal he gah te er te {Stn iho dn ede, he ne "Est teary. Sols Cln Poel “was forestier wad ane sche weenie ‘mutplie verison re Pogy ge Fed I Aled i Line oer mes Tin gaig eae nen Brace iy OL tm 1984 Wei Raker ro ne saa ites lat ine*enpy aren Sopa wd ino eo of Is of prose a a eects Sne 150 US. ts orwell ping natn nen Fv, oly US. shee StnsicetSonle-ati elie Ase tll compan ha en enersiws an oy sete gen le ofr RAD nodding mat than a Sonal ery an te Sra in gre seer wri ola Cnn. es ase Rb ccsmmet Seni nsdn Sao tley aty ie Open Rs ep, 7m ene ty memset He tkggpiotucntieUS usm, ng We Pexagon i erportconpoond ts mili) meta parte tnenfte asenronnye hairs Theol eompasormerdlomldie In Aten i aes pelon eal of Beno and Mal ease og ne ose neste Easley conti Avoal US) exh Smale ey oly wl eae Tete wud tv a md eye! tlm Sean othe iy = {Sanuntalon bein te oa ato tou hata erent resent Nn con ima sabmisine pram Wiehe fb bette atop sha hie ag calla feaaly sete he sons none o ethnsdnoaechig ce miso? Ta lS Sarat nesters pvementie_ Sate tack yer we hey eed “Sypattoieneret oa! lat dept on FPO fea < ‘Undermine separatim, Wit table cenal poet ‘neha ape nt moveweatin note Somalia which Usceprony ie ikalyto pv ow devlopig in Suan ad eewhee) i gnved. Given {ic opruniy a send the Matis loskediaadaes US. pleas esaihedw cue pecse. Now, any time te ‘U.S oven! dele that “saan renin” Sof bs false iio tio consaling ‘Oppose Leake fUndsmentalism, Naviossl security the US cing ox people, a9é without an mito fo Analy ie sng lame fords ets! te affected poplin Os petning mechanbns. The US inuerests “It the fundamentalists weap thrve precedent esplis te tage) vihoot fering «pola Scull noted Osman Hasan Al Stal liman sciose salon andes yp Maines-ocothingdypaic shou isan of ional esder Genel Mohamed Path Addn e fngtien at US, manipdaion athe Hom of Aiea leet tppets willbe Bp eigKenp iol ding the Col Wa eld prep he are ci. in Somali fat can bestopped” . 4 ? Inerease US, cone of UN. By davig the ON, au titer apes te enptusr sso eon! f “luna nee eaedy lend Wa ‘yard lapel and comet rope ef Rakyaoman Te pace sna. ‘ody ttn ey on cere OPE _etepet for mliagy neentn com them hos. Nori Sul he ft me pte oxi, Publishers: Een Fay, Wlam Schaap, Lous Wat Director of Research: Lous Wott ‘Stat: Jonathan Brit, Miche! Hahn, Margaret Hanzinanol, Fath Holsaor, Bill Nonose, Barbara Neuwi, Jano Toler Photography consultant: Dolores Nouran Editor: Tey Allon Sh sone mgr wk, hve cep fe US. Reames Bees CaF Wa a pony ily wy insted by «Krall enoyea PR Guin ‘oye wa wie ieee p19) "he masplation a ae piion on Samal “heal fed nh ue ale ha ino’ | pp te am JOH a eee pele Dis md ied lest a Sana asats how te US tae cole problem, sero spl hed cual and enon {ove od ih he Hp OC ten pest and ase Gr morass gd movie Cabgt opto, serie gems sean ERE eee ated ele eames RA Rowse capac snp oi06e ed ‘tae Been Ora ioutinaS Os ox eres 2 CovertAetion NumberCovertAction ‘Somalia: Adding “Humanitarian Intervention . Ba 400% 0 Waal and Raya’ ‘Somali ns i teat pe ‘examine private Pati Clinton Cabinet: Affirmative Action for the Ethically Challenged BRg3E | Dove veuhan |e tinton promised to end specta interost A nvence ut his appomoos Federico Pera, Tin With, Ran Brown, and yd Benson are smeared withthe plies dst dug up to bul the boondoggle Denver apo. to the U.S. Arsenal response to humanlavien” mltary Intervenbon. Fare a A na Wahler her Seve aha Go Wan who onghed i ts nd government rat efor. and ahow a history of ‘ard econo hess of Somalis. ne Se ete eae Re Se 4 eto adress ree Om Burson-Marsteller Poisons the Grassroots ‘John Dillon 94 Global PR tems alm thir vast resources st small rastoots struggles around the worl in Vermont, ith ig badges, itvaor, end ity Wek, tay tough femere ana ats BCCI: Bank of the CIA Public Relationships ‘& Knowlton, Robert Gray, and the CIA Johan Carisie 19 PR giant H&K tlacked for cetators and ‘mopped up corporate messes rom Bhopal to vee Mle slang. te former D.C. head, Fben Gray, gatneced ntrmation fr intl figence agenctes and nelped te CIA sway publi opinion ‘The Great Global Greenwash: teral, and the Rio Summit Joyce Nelson 26 Faced with oppostion rm the envtonmental ‘movement. corporations organized. Cooptng the Rio Summit, and erating bogus com ‘munky groups, the poling Vensnatonals Sstrategized with spindocters at Burson Marsteller to undermin ‘Jack Colhoun 40 ]2Cc1 made weet very wsetl to tho CIA snd vice versa. The comrlex web of BCCI cor fingesto unavel wih more felons, itera ional arms dealers, and Agency assets PA roveses nthe roads Marketing the Religious Right's Anti-Gay Agenda Chip Bertet 46 ‘Tha Religious Right has jumped onthe se Gf gays inte mltary. Using internal memos, ‘Beret races the ant-gay campaign and stows the Fights pan fo prt om gay Dashing, Clinton: New Era, ‘Same Old National Security ‘Trond Jacobsen 48 cimon's statements and appointments of fecycled cold warioereveal his commitment fo te national secury sate. The National Security Education Act wl supply the cop of essen! nigence sxpeds and operatives CovetAction 3Public Relationships: Hill & Knowlton, Robert Gray, and the CIA Johan Carlisle ‘between government and business that Presi- dent Clinton has vowed to close. It is not clear how he will accomplish this goal when so ‘many of his top appointees, including Ron Brown and Howard Paster, are “business as usual” Wash- ington insiders. Ron Brown, who was a lobbyist and attorney for Haiti's “Baby Doc” Duvalier, is Clinton's Secretary of Commerce. Paster, former head of Hill ‘and Knowlton's Washington office, directed the confirma- tion process during the transition period and is now Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House. After managing PR for the Gulf War, Hill and Knowlton executive Lauri J. Fitz-Pegado became director of public liaison for the inauguration The door swings both ways. Tho- mas Hoog, who served on Clinton's P= relations and lobbying firms are part of the revolving door transition team, has replaced Paster as head of H&K’s Washington office. Hill and Knowlton is one of the world’s largest and most influential corporations. As such, its virtually unregulated status, its longstanding connections to intelligence agencies, its role in shaping policy, and its close relationship to the Clinton administration deserve careful serutiny. imemumpog ttre popes tone Graphi of Reber Gray: Joanna Veto Spring 1993 CCovertAction 19n Tukey, “in July 1991, the sae moh Preset George Bash mae an fia vit hee the body of tuna sighs werk Veit AyGin was ound longa oa His ‘sll was faced, Ms ep mee ken and his body wit ride more than dozen alle wound He adbee hes ‘combishomeby seve amedmer who tied themselves 1 police ofeas. No one war charged wth his murder” In 1991, the top 50 US.-based PR firms invoiced over $1.7 billion. Deaple heeds of sch “ree report” kao by he Sate Departmen, documenting us of-hgh peste ett ates oss ele shocks, enti ofthe geting Igy the wns." Turkey reap the beefs of US enp sd Most Paved Naton sts, "Last yet Trey weve "ore he $800 monn US. i, nd spe meth 838, lion on Washig tom lobby ok that money flow Ing" Tukey ator US. tolerance of ‘ae wih epee tive ole in NATO, ite suport for Operation Desert ‘Storm; H hots telatively. Benign Public imoge with ‘elds, Washington publ relations an oy. ing fir si ana Knowton (6 whlch it pala 51,200,000 from November 1990 to May 1992, Other ‘onl hamen ight ‘ters, sch at Chin, Pes scl, Egy, nd Innes, ‘so stand Hl and Kaoyitonto theta of 14 lion in 1991-92. Til and Kaowiton bas slp repressed the ‘mousy repressive Davai regime in Ha ‘Statehouse, Amara, Turkey. Ti ‘SHORE N Sa Wage De ae ees 20CovertAction pans amyer Mustafa ese, wo was ‘ound guilty of speaking Kral Taney ina chart ot il and Kroon ——— Ohne 2,298 1 ee sir ced pwr peparsins ase gH. ‘elo te Koval overmen, re 1 yer o"Napa efor the Howse Human Rake Cac Ped off tt endnay Reva wih fisted fowl of secs om ‘itera seta bloc Cie | vole a the a-AsnHptlviereIe ‘he ing solders ome ine the spl wih gs en po note oom whee 1 ies were nica, Te) too hts out ofthe mets, ok te ncatos, dle te tes on the a Hoot de Supposedly fearing epi apset er family, Nay! inet eves erat ame othe peso Congress No tisapptet dissteree¢uitees mention alse wisth dog of Sheikh Saud Nis Saab, Kuss omias ‘dari the US AS Amerie wee beng prepared or wat er sry—which wine oat be impose fo coor. “Become the centerpiece of ely tned pute lation: ‘campaign orches: feted by HARK ane coasted withthe White tows on te half of the gore sent of Kut and {ston group, Ci eas foes Pree Ku- wat, In May 198, (CFK was edn the Wasbiogton ese Kent Anes (CFA hd spring 2.theday ing inva Kev By Aug 0, Shad ed HK, Preemie US, p> Te relations tr (Ch vented tthe Justice Depatnen recep of S17 861 fom 78 india US. and Cadi citar an $1.8 nil tom te Kwa govenmest* Of hee “aos, H&K get ely $103 ilon wage on fhe get mst eflectvepbl elon camps inksny ‘ote hes Ya so Wong. a? MP ‘ceandbincr shapers oes Nai ae NumbersFrom the atet othe newsrooms, scoring autor Jon biacAntha, hat money created» Benign fade fr Koval image The HK team, headed by former US, Infmsion Agee) oer La ite Pegn ori’ a Kowa {ufooaton Dayan 20calepceamuser on Sener 2 ‘OnSunesy, Seplember 23, cbc naomi saved "tonal dy of prager for Kwa Thnx dy, 13 se frverons dele a nation! Free Kowal Day. 8K ‘oittedtens of thowrandr of Free Kava bimger sk usanl Tt wel thasind of men extol Ing the alleged vitues of Kwa sect and bison. ie epado'scrackpresagetpul gett med eves eatuag Kowal testnce ie nd bison ‘nd aranged meetings wis newpaper eral boards K's Lew Alison former CBS ind NEC News eodcer rested 2 video ne eles os he Mile "st, some of which pororted o dept fe In Kuvalt der he il bot The Winn Grp was engaged by Ha to study TV autene react to snemens on the lf rss by Present Buh and Rawal ofl Spring 1998 All hs PR activity helped “duce” Americas about Kua tara county with a eile hua ght record and gts for worsen. Meanie the nebor ‘aero ornfames pati opinion spt Tag and ception aes the e of hte tee ix something eames rang when feign gverment can pay a power, wellcemected Toby ea purer fm mons of dole conc he Amescan peoples the Arica govern: renttosspporawarhalfeey smote wor Innate ee acy woud Rave cased an explosion of tne But somethings hanged in Westin. Bau des nooner ex (ne boundary which ns een red beyond recnglton {sth beoven “Propazanda”—bich ents wp pleas sn imagerof Goebel ie fcar—and “ub lations = respeable whit col profession Tok il avuntage ofthe reveling door, the lobby and spinels lige Through Congres the White Howe, and he aor mia CovertAction 21totic Thelin ‘nanialtions tie those of thet brown ahirted pre ‘acy and government policy. HAR’ highly pad gets of Inlence, sachs Vie Pres ot shh ofl Cai File, and Dement owe Dwoker Frank Mankiowcs, have mun eampiens ages abortion for the Catholic hutch, represented the Chart Setalogy, andthe ‘Moone, They hve mde ae at gussets hve Bo pe ow for the American Petroleum Iie; handed Tack for Te Nile ses sear-catastrophe; and mis: inde the apple growers ssseon tht Alar wos They med in poi esteverytarandppaendy seneverheldaccstable Na ly do thse PR firms ac a foe pepo sens bat ‘hey work clvely wih US. nd tore ielpence ae hes, making eve operations ver hd to cot Te the 1930, Edvard Be sys heather of pie Unio,” conse expat America that changing fhe pbic'® opnion—using PR Techniques—abour able PR SERVI H&K leads PR charge in | behalf of Kuwaiti cause earings, an lobby. Te ve th sii anahe fond to cond! sophisticated re search fr thei nt an ing ide informs, ‘vice them about policy decisions. They ae post od to sl ther cists overeat ofl inc Ing those in intelligence sence, Robert Keith Gry head of Hil nd Known Washington lice for thee ecndes Set tag about thecking major decision: Parsonaly with CIA dtsar Willis Carey, whom he on sigered cose person frend One ofthe most posta ways public relions fms Tatleence what we think is through the masive dsb ion of press celeases to snenspapers and TV ewe oom One study fond ht 0 percent of he ses con test ina typical US, newspaper origina with able ations pes ournalion Review, which Scrtaized a type foe of the Wall Stret Journ found tht mote ha a he REPORT ‘ome social mover ch ' sols and str enloes, ‘The cove of ODuyer's nseruces January 1697) estes Naics campaign to and te US. war inthe Gu Her ‘UN, Security Couel stat membarerubberneck photo snd Journal's nes tse “were based solely on prese 16: sas more elfective than ‘ting goons wo ead people Sine thn, PR has evolved ito an nrensaly refined at ‘wm of manipulation on bebalt of whoever hi he Lge rmoants of money eget py fori In 19, the tgp 80 3S shasedPR ms ald over SI, 70,00 000i ees Top ‘mse Fil an Knowitos erg wt $380 pr bow, Rismsmanipelt publican conpesonl pinion a3 speemen! policy through tea campgns, congressional Jeers Dama of Pe Daye cS 22 Covertaction ‘ideo sapay supped by the Kunal govrenent leases" Although the 16 eases were reprinted almost ‘eration purapas” with ite adel reporting, any ates Wee abled 0 "a Wal Set oaral ft ‘While some PReamplgnste aimed the gener pul ces turgtlendenhip ihe rund theca provide Ee een amber 4aT "hem wih pote coverO Novem 27,1990, ja two ays before the UN, Secuty Cosi wasiovateon tn soe of mltay force agin In, whe he US, wes exotng, balying, and buying UN; cooperation, Kua wes tyiate ‘inbears mind ater cs, “Walshe [UN Cea il chamber wete covered with oversized clr potozne of Kuwait of all ges who reportedly had been led oy ‘ort by Tag. A videotape showed gis ap, ‘eal fig on unstmel demonstrator, and wise who had escaped ftom Kuwait lated als foros A ovat spokesman was on hn nit that sation ta becn’an oars of pence armony before aq tated lavasion"™ This ropagndn extevaganes was orchestated ty Mi and Kowlon forthe government of Kale Wh few exception, th even was eporedas news he medi, td todays late the Security Council voted arog liar force aii a, The inteigence Connection ‘The governmen'suse of PR isin goer, and land Kaovton spatial, goes beyond ehcally ens op Tom anipltion Ktincndes oer leg pony spying periions for neignce agence, “HA ras ‘eso stendteach-ns nd demorstrionson alge cam ‘use he eight fhe Vitam Way ana ages te Epos on wha they eared” according fo suka Sus “remo, "The purpose was for HAK to tll cents hte had he aby to spot ew tend inthe activin movemea, ‘secilly regarding enitonmesil issues Richerd ee Ina typical issue of the Wall Street Journal, more than half the news Stories were based solely ‘on press releases, EE ‘Cheney (0 relation to fomer Secretary of Defense Chee), head cf H&K": New York alice, dened thin ateptng he Sid that HK recommends htt cents ite vate noes Saaive ences to conduct suvelnce and inligonce work, But, Cheney amie, “in wch age oaslnton 20 sever know if thee ao some seak pean going Former CIA offical Robert T Crowley, the Agcy’: loosstinetinison wth corporation, ses cece Hb Ct ee Sa eS Spring 1998 eee nd Kaowiton's overseas afc e acknowledges, “were ‘vfs cover forthe evecepanding CIA. Unite er ver jos ring pubic elton peli dn oa ea tining for CIA oficrs "The CIA, Clove ried seis AK connects io pt ot pres es tnd make media coma fate ts pstons ake ‘employes atthe small Washington office an eeewhee Used this mates rough CIA assets woking othe Ee The CIA, Crowley admitted, used its HK contacts “to put out press releases and make media contacts.” eee United States news media ™ Sine the CA i pried from dering propaganda eid the US. type ot "owtnc'—whichfamer CIA acer Jah Stucke and ‘te rvearches have often acd he Ageney sepa While he ws of U.S: mea bythe CIA as a ons oad wel-tocumentdhisory, the covet involvement at PR ‘maybe news to many Acorn Tren Repatrs wre pid by the CLA, smetines wiht thir mei employe” knee fo gt the materi iat of on thes Bt ther nem xgnitons eed {het employee to cooper wit he CIA ncn the Si Diego: Copley News Service. Bu Copley ns "et lone and the CU ha ot rept a ees {in scot of nonoperated rake pts aes the county. To vod it elation wth the mei (IA rected inva pie eaten te ie H&K to ata idles for whi the Cia wate arte! ‘This lose asaiaton and dpencoce yp the int lipsnce community by repair ba rated ene sn in whlch sshd PR excetvs ad fens rm cay Scrtiny by the mia and Congres. Accordag 1 Tet, “These lonsnding HAK inline tes nd CLAthed "eputer”fears that Gry might krow abou them might ‘atialy explain why Gray as exap clone mein cai. on, even thovgh he was guestionel abot his his nes" oles in one may Seda ater another og te Tong Washington eer” ‘Over the yet Hilla Krowltor and Robert ray have been mplicted in the BC! scan the Oca Sun, In emma Na wer CCovertacton 28‘Te Kawa government palé Hl and Kowiton 1 rally Ameeans Into prosear {ronan Washington, detonetatre hala homemdge ane NBX-supped sg the House pogesey and eg scanda, Debut, Korea tedlan Ch In ater 188 tes dye rth Bank ff Credit and Commerce Iteration (BCC! was indicted ty» federal grand Jory for conspiing wih the Medea Carlo ase $32, 00,00 ile deg pois he bank ice H&K to manage the soda Rober Gry ao served ‘onthe bond of dretrs f Fst American Ban, he Wk {ng DC, bank ram by Car itor (a fag federal ‘hayes and ened by BCC. Gray was lose 1, alps fn vious was, tp Reagan oils. When Secretary of Dalen Caspar Wenbeger's son needed jo, Oy heed is fo $200 «month "And when Gray's ces needed meting ont Pena, Gy to-wit the top” Gry slo helped Atoeney Gener! Ea Meas’ wie, Unselg, get = Ineratve job with foundation which os cee by a wealthy Texas len soley to employ her ‘Robert Keth Gray Private Spook? Rober Keith Gray, who setup Hil and Known’ im tnt Washington, DC. ofige andr i for mast of he time Deween 1961 and 1982," hs ha uma conics ‘nthe nto! adnan neligence comment, The 1 ot hs personal od professional ascites nls Ea in Wilson, Wiliam Casey, Tongsun Pck Keren CIA), Rev. Sin Myung Moon, Anna Chena (ty was «bard member World Aisaysaba Fy ing Tipe), Nell Livingstone Ro tert Owe, a Over North Mont of te Inertia Di vision [of sy & Col cles” id Susin Trento, “wee igh tring governments Wed cosy to ‘Beinelipene communi orb nesimge wi he soe ein in 1985, with Gray's belp ‘Tongson Park hac formed the ‘George tava Gib n ashngton According Trenc Park at ep the oars and with invasions tox Co and bikers, ened “Tose for The cb ke the ne Manne Gen GrovesGntine wba bse ave inteligece exces Asma Coen saul brome a fre inthe eh. Othe see od Took, comets 1 the inligce wei Sonal ovtones’ Gray's es orghnag ASS he (Chenault nd Park nd depron Gry ba es tf Eiperhowe when ie we ppoimens es fot [Bseahowe:] for vever being pian emus Poss ‘swiy Gin aac wholebeatel the pones ed {he Chins Lay, One reson Gray was arse = lay was tht they had long bas bende P= RichrdNixor's sous campaigns” Korean intligenceageney, wish was cestes°s sd 6 dey eprdedac asin of e CIA Toe Gog Town (Gb he served wea crete mening place steering foweign ineligence gets canrcialine ard cone-= Bas ss wi U.S. government ffs Robert Gay Ins als Been inked with former C18 and al itlgence agen i Wi. tug’ Gs denies Ain 1971, Won el he CIA md Setup a sees of ew tot companies fora secret Navy operaca Tak Force 157. Won ap hat Robert Gray “was coe Boud [of Discos). We hd an agreement ht anstiagtht HAK int wat, they would tow tomes hat I cold make tome money ou of and Bob apd] would teh. Number 46The Gray Aros Behind Hil & Knowiton ‘rays connection to rn-Conts bas never ees aly examined, Notably, the Tower Commission, Reagan's off Sit Tose investi, all bat pred i Is 1983, Texas Sena Joa Tover bad destined to seek eleion inking Ie hn ea wth Reap fo become Secretary of Defense. ‘Nee Weinberger decided to sty on nthe second Reape term, Tower food ime without 2b. 19865, his rend eben Gry offered him potion onthe Donn of dete {Gry and Co. Showy teeter, Tower was asked o head the pein ingly. Not oping he Tower Commis fon Hep Gray and Co, ot ofthe avesialon inspite of ‘he face ha several key pliers th scant had worked fer Grp and Co, and Grays Medic war sppecedo involvement ine sae arms shipment a ‘este large gape inthe ffl lage, a ‘tbls tht Robert Owen, Oliver Nos messenger and Beara, worked for Gray nd Co, fer leaving then Senor ‘an Quale's tf in 1983, Owen worked pinay with Nail Livggson, a mysterious figs who claims tobe Imover and sr inthe inligence world bot who = ecb ev “rouple” Livingstone worked with Ed Wi ‘potseed bythe CIA and nae inteligene™ Owen and Livingstone traveled frequesy to Cental America o met sth the Cotas in 1984 A ltresting onset a {Conti hatin 1986, Sach Arabian ams rer Adnan Khachoel ied ill and KrowtionandGray Co ori. raxinum policy ota bso donatonto $205 milion Sports ener, ame afte in, st Amerion Urivesty The Fourth Branch of Government clear The peta orf efor xs bviws. Despite tis edition o esti the fafloence of bys and PR manipulation, listo forme are viewed eth eyes! teen by thos athe know, Although ney ested {tom ect lobbying ther former agencies etn ove nem fii can sly tak jos lt PR frst bie ‘dks and intl tert "Ron o Hower ent me. or des the wpsed Foreign Agents Registration Act ave rel festh The atten in 1938 when US. PR fins were sscovered woing ae propaginde nd a tyne for Nex Germany-—i rarely enfred™ Whe i loute ages of governments o regs nis reque Spring 1983 Rover ray mets for agen of fregncorporsins, wh fen seve the “And if Iopboes for Ybbyng ae comfortably ve, ube tcltons actives rein totaly ware and scrutiny ay goverment gency. Gives the power fn eape of PR Gs, tir ack eords of manipulation, the collusion withinteligence agencies, oder dsegard fore human ih records nd coporte minded many of thi clients tis lack of oversight endangers democracy (Crt replaton,sgentrepertingreguitemeats, aad [ovement and zen overnight reeset fist steps in ‘reveting these iat anseatonls om Fnctionng 283 ‘ial owt anc of goverment Happy Birthday to us! CovertAction (the quarterly) is. 15 years old. ‘Covert action (the government abuse) |e unfortunately older. Covert 25