
Mandy Smithberger
Director, Straus Military Reform Project, Center for Defense Information, Project On Government Oversight (website)
email: msmithberger [at] pogo [dot] org
phone: 202-347-1122
Director, Straus Military Reform Project, Center for Defense Information, Project On Government Oversight (website)
email: msmithberger [at] pogo [dot] org
phone: 202-347-1122
corruption | defense industry
Mandy Smithberger rejoined Project On Government Oversight (POGO) as the director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Center for Defense Information in December 2014. Previously she was a national security policy adviser to U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). Earlier an investigator with POGO, she was part of a team that received the Society of Professional Journalists' Sunshine Award for contributions in the area of open government.
Ms. Smithberger received her B.A. in government from Smith College and her Masters in Strategic Studies and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. She also served as an analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency and U.S. Central Command.
Recent Publications:
* Indicates that piece was co-written by another author/authors
Mandy Smithberger rejoined Project On Government Oversight (POGO) as the director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Center for Defense Information in December 2014. Previously she was a national security policy adviser to U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). Earlier an investigator with POGO, she was part of a team that received the Society of Professional Journalists' Sunshine Award for contributions in the area of open government.
Ms. Smithberger received her B.A. in government from Smith College and her Masters in Strategic Studies and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. She also served as an analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency and U.S. Central Command.
Recent Publications:
- "Shrinking the Pentagon: Will the Biden Administration Dare Cut Military Spending?" with Bill Hartung, TomDispatch, November 29, 2020.
- "Toward a New Approach to National and Human Security: End Endless War," Just Security, September 11, 2020.*
- "Ending police violence begins with cutting Pentagon money, militarization program," USA Today, July 8, 2020.
- "Washington Is Still Putting the Military Before Public Health," The Nation, June 30, 2020.
- "Congress needs to be more forceful in its response to Trump’s inspector general purges," Responsible Statecraft, May 20, 2020.
- "Beware the Pentagon’s Pandemic Profiteers: Hasn’t the Military-Industrial Complex Taken Enough of Our Money?" TomDispatch, May 3, 2020.
- "America should save emergency spending for emergencies," DefenseNews, March 27, 2020.
- "Officers Advocating for More F-35s Often Had Financial Stakes," POGO, August 19, 2019.
- "Could the New Yemen Resolutions Further Erode Congressional War Powers?" February 13, 2019.*
- "Brass Parachutes: The Problem of the Pentagon Revolving Door," POGO, November 5, 2018.
- "Audit Finds Pentagon Waived Requirement to Repay Taxpayers $16 Billion to Advance Foreign Military Sales," POGO, February 15, 2018
* Indicates that piece was co-written by another author/authors