You know about this guy, Aldrich Ames?

If you were watching the news in 1994, you'd certainly hear all about him.

I'd like to say a word about the Ames espionage case and our bother of interest regarding Russian.

US Russian relations were chilled early in the year when the CIA announced one of its top agents was spying for the Soviet Union and then Russia.

The burning questions in Washington, how could it have taken so long?

So long to arrest the highest ranking CIA officer ever accused of selling out to the Russians.

Aldrich Ames and his wife Maria are still, of course, the alleged spies.

But there is no doubt in Washington tonight that this is an intelligence disaster.

In short, Aldrich Ames was a CIA officer working in Langley, Virginia, at the CIA headquarters.

It was responsible for Soviet counterintelligence, which means he was trying to figure out what intelligence information Russia had on the US.

As part of his work, he learned about the activity of CIA spies in Russia.

At first, I think he was just trying to con Russian intelligence out of some cash.

He contacted the Soviet Embassy and offered them information that I think he thought was worthless.

He asked for $50,000 and they paid up.

And I think he felt like he pulled one over on the Soviets.

But this crossed the line that he wasn't able to step back from.

Any good spy agency knows the most effective way to get someone to give you secrets is to give them money.

Aldrich was vulnerable to this.

When the Soviets reached out offering more money just to sit and have lunch, he would agree and take the cash.

And this was sometimes tens of thousands of dollars.

And soon enough, Aldrich started giving up more details in exchange for cash.

He started giving the names of the CIA spies that were assigned to the Soviet block.

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