Bigot List
A bigot list is a highly restricted access list controlling who is authorized to be read into a specific Special Access Program (SAP) or Unacknowledged Special Access Program (USAP). The term originated from World War II British operations during the invasion of German-occupied territory and today denotes the roster of individuals cleared for access to particularly sensitive compartmented programs.
Origin and Usage
According to retired Navy Commander Will Miller, the term dates to "World War II, British invasion of German-occupied territory." In modern usage, a bigot list is "just a list of SAP/USAP authorization individuals. Lists vary according to the program in question, the types of individuals needed to run the program, and how limited the access needs to be depending on the sensitivity of the program."
Unlike standard security clearances, inclusion on a bigot list is specific to individual programs and is determined by program managers based on strict, often undisclosed criteria. Being excluded from a bigot list can prevent access even for senior officials with appropriate clearance levels and need-to-know authority.
The Wilson-Davis Memo Context
In the Wilson-Davis Memo, Vice Admiral Thomas Wilson—then Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency—was allegedly shown pages of a bigot list dated 1990 to 1993 for a crash retrieval and reverse engineering program run by an aerospace contractor. According to the memo:
- All names on the list were civilians: scientists, technicians, engineers, and managers
- No politicians, White House officials, presidents, congressional members, or their staffers appeared on the list
- No senior Bush or Clinton administration officials were listed
- Wilson did recognize names of individuals from OUSD(AT), the National Security Council, and other Pentagon departments
Despite Wilson's position as Deputy Director of DIA with statutory oversight and regulatory authority over all DoD special access programs (both acknowledged and unacknowledged), he was denied access because he was not on the bigot list. The Watch Committee overseeing the program informed Wilson that special criteria established after a near-exposure incident determined bigot list membership, and Wilson did not meet those undisclosed criteria.
"Bigoted" as a SAP Control Marking
UAP Gerb's Special Access Required Vol.2 cites David Grusch's description, from his Judicial Watch interview, of a "bigoted, waived Special Access Program" as one of the most restrictive SAP configurations possible — a waived SAP (meaning limited congressional reporting) with the additional informal control marking "bigoted," meaning access is restricted "by name" via a bigot list, similar in function to the control marking NOFORN (not releasable to foreign nationals) used on other legacy-related programs.