In this first episode, host John J. Hamre speaks with Suzanne Spaulding, director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at CSIS. Suzanne is a lawyer, and had served as chief clerk of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and later as undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security. Their conversation examines how established institutions and procedures keep government agencies accountable to its citizens. This process is especially important for intelligence organizations that operate in secrecy. Suzanne offers a powerful tutorial on one of the foundation stones of our democracy.