GoKawiilWhen George W. Maschke applied to work for the FBI in 1994, he had already held a security clearance for over 11 years. The government had deemed him trustworthy through his career in the Army. But soon, a machine and a man would not come to the same conclusion.
His application to be a special agent had passed initial muster. And so, in the spring of 1995, according to his account, he found himself sitting across from an FBI polygraph examiner, answering questions about his life and loyalties.
He told the truth, he said in an interview with Undark. But in a blog post on his website, he recalled the examiner told him that the polygraph machine—which measured some of Maschke’s physiological responses—indicated that he was being deceptive about keeping classified information secret, and about his contacts with foreign intelligence agencies.
“My entire career prospects were basically shattered,” said Maschke. “How could I have told the truth and failed the polygraph?”
He wanted an answer. And so soon after his failed exam, he said he went to the research library to try to learn more about what had transpired between his body, that machine, and the measuring man.
Further spurred by another negative polygraph experience, the resulting deep dive on polygraphs and examination methods eventually led him to co-found the advocacy website AntiPolygraph.org. “When I had my polygraph experience, I had no one to talk to,” said Maschke, who went on to work as a legal translator in the Netherlands. He hoped his public-facing website meant others wouldn’t have that experience.
Today, website visitors can find an e-book summarizing polygraph testing and policies, personal statements from those harmed by the results, official documents about the government’s use of polygraphy, and information about polygraph litigation, among other things.