A man who pleaded guilty to crimes committed during the January 6 attack on the Capitol has been hired to work in a sensitive Pentagon office, raising questions about vetting procedures for federal employment.
Elias Irizarry, who received a pardon from President Trump, is now employed in a position at the Department of Defense. The specifics of how he was brought on remain unclear, including which official or office completed the hiring process.
Irizarry's presence on the Pentagon payroll marks an unusual case of someone convicted for Capitol riot conduct moving into government work. His guilty pleas covered multiple offenses related to the January 6 disturbance at the nation's capital.
The Trump pardon wiped his legal slate clean, but the circumstances surrounding his Pentagon employment raise broader concerns about background review standards for positions involving national security matters. It is not clear what security clearance or vetting protocols, if any, were applied before his hire.
The case underscores the complexities created when presidential pardons intersect with civil service hiring practices and access to sensitive government work.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "A pardoned rioter working in a Pentagon office should trigger immediate scrutiny, not shrugs."
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