This past April, Treasury's acting under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence spoke at a Washington, D.C. forum and delivered remarks that demonstrated what I long suspected: the politicization of the Department of Treasury's enforcement arm.  Recent developments have confirmed my fears.  As a former Treasury special agent, I am appalled at what has been happening.

Reading a prepared statement, the under-secretary discussed the Iran sanctions program and described how it helped pave the way to the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" (JCPOA) or the long-running negotiations with Iran that will postpone Iranian nuclear weapon development.  Sitting in the audience that day, I expected insights and reasoned analysis about this controversial multinational agreement.  Instead, the speech by the Treasury official was an exercise in deception and political spin.

Sections of the speech are titled "The JCPOA: A Sanctions Success Story" and "The Benefits of the Bargain."  You get the idea.  The under-secretary ended with a flourish, labeling the agreement "deft diplomacy."

I was assigned to "main" Treasury for a short time.  I understand how these remarks are drafted and cleared.  In this case, I assume they were reviewed by both the State Department and the White House.  But just because something is called a "bargain" and a "success" doesn't make it true.

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Department of Treasury pioneered a new era of financial warfare primarily revolving around targeted sanctions and designations.  Treasury has used American financial and economic power to protect the global banking system from international money laundering, other financial crimes, and even terror finance.  Working with international partners, the innovative use of these programs put in place by Treasury's "financial intelligence wonks" – including Treasury's under-secretary – was the primary reason that Iran came to the negotiating table. 

However, instead of negotiating from a position of strength and with the cunning, patience, and long-term outlook practiced by our adversaries, the White House and its negotiators threw years of hard work and international consensus building away.  Despite the remarks by the administration and its spokespeople, the true legacies of the JCPOA will be a case study of naiveté, a much more dangerous world, and disastrous results.  

Ben Rhodes, the White House's deputy national security adviser, boasted to a journalist of duping the American public about the JCPOA.  Mr. Rhodes bragged about his ability to spin, weave, and restructure a narrative divorced from reality.  One can only surmise that the Treasury official's speech was just one more opportunity for the White House to deceive and mislead. 

This now seems to be the modus operandi of Treasury.  A few Fridays ago, shortly before 6:00 p.m. and the start of a holiday weekend, Treasury released new guidelines for businesses that now allow previously prohibited transactions with Iran by offshore banking institutions as long as the transactions do not enter the U.S. financial system.  These developments further facilitate Iran's objectives.  Releasing information on a late Friday afternoon is a favorite political tactic in Washington designed to bury controversial news.  This did not happen in the Department of Treasury I once knew.

It gets worse.  We now know that the Obama administration signed a secret document to lift sanctions on two Iranian state banks that were previously blacklisted for their involvement in financing Iran's ballistic missile program.  This occurred the same day Tehran released four American prisoners.  In prior years, Treasury was vehemently opposed to the same banks for their alleged role in financially backing Iran's missile program.

In addition, it now appears that as part of its "comprehensive" and "deft" diplomatic package, the U.S. paid a $1.7-billion cash tribute to Iran at the same time the four American hostages were released.  While others can debate whether or not we "owed" Iran this money, the fact is, we cannot track this cash.  We can surmise that some of it will be used to further terror.  It now appears that the Iranians want additional "billions" to get more American hostages released.  Last week, the Department of Justice refused to address questions from Congress about its reported approval of the transfers.

The above deals further erode the sanctions the U.S. maintains on Iran and certain Iranian companies and people known as "specially designated nationals" or SDNs.  The sanctions date back to Iran's seizure of hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, its support for Hezb'allah, and other Iranian financial and operational backing for terrorist activities.  Iran's actions in Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq have led to the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of Americans – our U.S. soldiers and diplomats.

Full disclosure: a close friend of mine, a beautiful young lady, was murdered by Iranian proxies in the April 18, 1983 bombing of our U.S. Embassy in Beirut.

Our government publicly states that "terrorists will be held accountable" and lists Iran as the "top state sponsor of terrorism."  Yet, using political doubletalk, our same government engages in the kind of diplomacy that strengthens the Iranian terrorist regime.  This charade is not lost on either our adversaries or our allies.

The politicization of Treasury's enforcement arm involves not only actions taken involving the JCPOA.  Lois Lerner's pleading the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination is eloquent testimony of the IRS's efforts to suffocate groups critical of the administration.  There have been efforts to impeach the IRS commissioner for making false statements under oath and failing to comply with a subpoena for evidence. 

While political appointees have always influenced the civil service, direction has reached new levels.  Political guidance at the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, State, and other agencies and departments I once held in high esteem frankly break my heart.   It is no wonder that the overwhelming majority of the American people no longer trust their government.

If we are to turn this around, two things must happen.  1. The next administration must re-establish trust and credibility in the civil service by taking crass politics out of governance.  2. Civil servants – including those at the highest levels – must say no when they know they are being used for political ends.  We must restore honor and integrity in government service.

John A. Cassara is a former U.S. intelligence officer and Treasury special agent, author, and consultant.  Additional information is available at www.JohnCassara.com.