| Summary/Abstract |
The court case concluding in March 2020, involving former Intelligence Community (IC) software engineer Joshua Schulte, was a blunt revelation of the toxic dynamic inside one Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) section. In 2018, Schulte was charged with multiple counts of theft, unauthorized disclosures of classified information, obstruction of justice, and lying to investigators. During his 2020 trial, his management and coworkers’ testimony depicted a work environment marred by bullying, physical violence, vandalism, retaliation, and negligent management framed around one of the most egregious blows to U.S. national security in history. At its most basic level, the organization’s toxicity likely stemmed from unhealthy approaches to wielding, regaining, and managing power. However, the outcome was a tableau vivant of an extremely toxic environment in which personal animosities spiraled out of control and overtook the mission.
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