Inside the Ring

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By Bill Gertz INSIDE THE RING

The software that allows users access to data up to the Top-Secret classification level was developed by Genesis Key with the help of engineers from the Toronto-based Research In Motion, which makes BlackBerry.

The White House Communications Agency, part of the Pentagon's Defense Information Systems Agency, is working with the NSA on the project. A White House spokesman had no comment.

Pulitzer outrage

Retired military analysts are reacting with outrage that the Pulitzer committee awarded one of its prestigious prizes for a story discredited by an independent investigation, special correspondent Rowan Scarborough reports.

The Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting announced Monday went to New York Times reporter David Barstow for his story, "Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon's Hidden Hand" and other stories.

The main story looked at the public-affairs-office practice from 2002 to 2008 of inviting TV analysts to the Pentagon for private briefings. The story claimed improprieties and raised accusations against analysts of gaining unfair competitive advantage in winning contracts for companies they represented.

The April 2008 story sparked an investigation by the Pentagon inspector general, an office known for its independence. The office has not shied away from criticizing the tenure of former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who started the briefings for 70 retired military officers.

In January, the IG released its report, which rebutted the New York Times' major allegations.

On the practice of conducting meetings and conference calls with the analysts, the IG concluded:

"We determined that those activities were conducted in accordance with DoD policies and regulations. We found the evidence insufficient to conclude that [Retired Military Analyst] RMA outreach activities were improper. Further, we found insufficient basis to conclude that [the office of public affairs] conceived of or undertook a disciplined effort to assemble a contingent of influential RMAs who could be depended on to comment favorably on DoD programs."