FBI's bullying tactics are growing tiresome

SUN-TIMES ^ | 8/29/02 | ROBERT NOVAK

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

By calling attention to its investigation of the scientist, the FBI invites speculation about an effort to divert attention from the unsolved anthrax case.

I'll give this another week, tops.

[Bernard]

Isn't it about time to dissolve the FBI, and start over again? The breakdown in this agency has been apparent for years, yet the funding keeps coming. That would make us enablers.

[Cachelot]

Isn't it about time to dissolve the FBI, and start over again?

The FBI was stacked by Clinton for many years. He has stuffed all kinds of critters in there, from traditional Clintonoids to jihadists. A cleanup seems to be well nigh impossible, given that he stacked the rest of the administration the exact same way.

So how do you propose that a new agency be set up, as long as the ones doing the hiring will likely just hire the old and approved goons from the FBI?

[GirlNextDoor]

"The FBI was stacked by Clinton for many years. He has stuffed all kinds of critters in there, from traditional Clintonoids to jihadists."

Despite what that man, even his name, does to my temper level, aren't you remarkably over-simplifying the problem??

Exactly how did he influence events in 1968?

FBI complicity in the wrongful conviction in 1968 of four men (two of whom died in prison) for murder committed by FBI informants in Boston.

And who is responsible for the Ashcroft appointment?

Ashcroft's Justice Department resisted surrendering FBI files relating to this outrage by claiming executive privilege but gave up after Burton threatened to cite President Bush for contempt of Congress. Ashcroft is even more intractable than his predecessor, Janet Reno, in refusing information to the legislative branch. He is currently stonewalling requests by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, about Justice's administration of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act.

Clinton only wishes he were that great.

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

You go girl!

[RightWinger]

Yep, the FBI & Justice Dept. haven't improved much with the new administration.

[Cachelot]

Exactly how did he influence events in 1968?

No one is saying that there wasn't corruption before Clinton. Of course there was. Clinton however, deliberately made it all-pervasive and put his own cohorts in place.

The question is: how much good do you think it will do to set up a new agency, when the culture that rotted the old one from within is still in place and doing the hiring?

[GirlNextDoor]

The question is: how much good do you think it will do to set up a new agency, when the culture that rotted the old one from within is still in place and doing the hiring?

My first thought was, "How does Cachelot specify "the culture" in his mind?". Looking back at your previous post I am assuming that this is ...

"he stacked the rest of the administration the exact same way.

If the administration=the culture my answer would be :
The *new* administration holds the responsibility and the power to begin with clearing out those untrustworthies that administer in his name,then engage honorable people to "do the hiring".

I certainly agree that the corruption must be cleared from the top down, rather than vice-versa. Question now is, are there men to do it?

[marktwain]

What frosts me is the total unwillingness of the congress to provide any check on the FBI. Police agencies *will* go beyond constitutional bounds. It is the unwillingness of congress to discipline gross violations that encourages them to do more and more unconstitutional acts. They know that they will never be held accountable.

When the FBI can murder 80 men, women, and children on national television, the voters change control of both houses of congress, the new Republican leadership agrees to have hearings, and then, then at the last minute, changes the whole agenda into one that blames the victims and clears the FBI of any wrongdoing, it seems pretty hopeless.

Sure, Klintoon was in charge, but if the Republicans had cleaned house and put a few FBI officials in jail, we would never have had a second Clintoon term and the Republicans would have solid majorities in both houses today. Lack of integrity and corruption must run very deep for the Republican leadership to give up that vision so easily.

[Cachelot]

The *new* administration holds the responsibility and the power to begin with clearing out those untrustworthies that administer in his name,then engage honorable people to "do the hiring".

Yes. But then, what exactly is happening when you change "the administration", as in last election? You change the very top. The layers under the top are untouched, and the top echelon has less power than you'd think to change the underlying structure. Now, what I would like to see happening would be akin to how I've seen some large corporations handle restructuring problems: everyone is basically fired and has to re-apply for their job. Or any other of the jobs.

What HAS been happening, on the other hand, is that there's been some new leaders hired and tasked with making changes happen. I believe that is the case with the FBI, for example. I also believe that they won't be able to accomplish very much, because of rules that protects the rank and file from being fired.

Oh, and your question about "the culture". Yes, I regard that as the administration. And as a cult worshiping at the Clinton altar. So far, I think that the administration hasn't changed very much from Clinton's time, regardless of new figure heads. Making that change will take a lot of time and a lot of ingenuity, I think. May even have to change a few laws and scratch a few EO's, I dunno.

[Cachelot]

Sure, Klintoon was in charge, but if the Republicans had cleaned house and put a few FBI officials in jail

Very true. And the cleanup should have been way bigger than that: if the military was in on the operation, you'd be dealing with what? A constitutional crisis? And it's even worse, of course, if it's true that British military forces were participating (with a special recon plane).

[cynicom]

Ashcroft is the boss and a bumbling idiot. The FBI will only become more of a Gestapo.

[Jake0001]

Bush had his chance on September 12th. The higher echelons of the FBI, INS, customs and CIA bureaucracies could have and should have been shaken.

Lo and behold, the biggest security failing in US history and not a single pink slip passed out. It is clear that incompetence, ignorance and corruption played a role but nothing happened to them except that the same airport security people (many of whom were apparently illiterate and/or foreigners) now get federal pension benefits.

If we aren't careful we'll soon suffer the same fate as the ancient Roman empire. (So much for human social advancement)

[Cachelot]

Bush had his chance on September 12th. The higher echelons of the FBI, INS, customs and CIA bureaucracies could have and should have been shaken.

The problem is bigger than the "higher echelons".

Lo and behold, the biggest security failing in US history and not a single pink slip passed out. It is clear that incompetence, ignorance and corruption played a role but nothing happened to them

It is clear NOW, or rather, it is becoming clear. On the 12th, I doubt you would (or anyone would) have known who failed. But even knowing, if that had been possible - how do you propose to run the process of firing a large section of the FBI (not to mention the rest of the infestations)?

Look at what is happening in the case of the terrorist professor in Florida. It should be instructive.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

I am afraid that Bush is just too much of a nice guy to really wield the broom and do the thorough housecleaning that is needed.

[Cachelot]

I am afraid that Bush is just too much of a nice guy to really wield the broom

Well, that may certainly be the case. But I think it's more of a question of how much he actually, legally, CAN wield the broom. I'm not really in-depth familiar with how federal/state/whatever employees are protected from being let go, but I suspect it's not as simple as saying "I want replacements for all you untrustworthy scallywags".

[Jake0001]

Well I admit that on the 12th it would have been premature to randomly fire people without ferreting out the exact role they played in the failure.

But now it is almost a year later. We could start with the DC people who ignored requests and inquiries from the agents in Minnisota and Arizona when they caught wind of a plot involving commercial airliners.

Then we can go forward with an independent internal audit of practices of field agents and fire those that violate the rules and the supervisors that let them do so. It all comes down to accountability.

Why is a constitutional democracy successful while monarchies and dictatorships wither and languish in corruption? One word -- ACCOUNTABILITY. Our leaders are accountable to us - the voters. Not only to be ethical, but also competent, practical, transparent and shrewd.

It all comes down to an apathetic and thus ignorant electorate. We cannot hold our leaders accountable if we don't pay attention or if our leadership tries to cloak their activities - either way, we are ignorant and thus unqualified to bear judgement.

Noone is holding up their end of the bargain. Most citizens don't pay attention, the media is uninformative and the government is not forthcoming (even when asked). I'm not optimistic of the ultimate outcome of this.

[Cachelot]

But now it is almost a year later. We could start with the DC people who ignored requests and inquiries from the agents in Minnisota and Arizona when they caught wind of a plot involving commercial airliners.

Yes, exactly. I think some of that process is underway, but even so it is probably going to take time. As I said, look at the case of the terrorist prof in Florida. The reason he's not been fired isn't that his uni doesn't want him out, it's because he has legal protections that he's making the most of.

[Nogbad]

ping

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!