The FBI... What in the World is Going On?

 

The FBI… I was an Agent in the 70s.  I am proud of my service.  And, I must say that the experience and connections I gained there greatly enhanced my subsequent career.  Although, early on, being inside the FBI (at the time) was disillusioning in many aspects.  That said, the quality of the men and women in the Bureau, the Agents, generally was pretty high – except for a few.  In that era, many had been officers in the military; but we had former teachers, accountants, and some attorneys.  Which reminds me of a humorous story.  I will digress for a moment.

Awhile back, I was having some physical therapy on my knee.  The therapist, a nice young woman, was asking me about my earlier life… what I did for employment, etc.  I mentioned that I had been a deputy sheriff, a military officer, and an FBI Agent.  She was interested in the FBI aspect.  She said are you an attorney?  I said that I was not.  She said I thought you had to be an attorney to be an Agent.  I responded that was not the case; and that, in my experience, the former attorneys usually turned out to be the worst Agents.  She said, “Oh… my dad is an attorney – and graduated from Harvard Law School.”

Yes, it was an awkward moment.  The only thing I could think to say at the time was, ‘your dad must be a very smart guy.’  She was kind of coolish after that, did not talk much, and I never went back to her.

Nonetheless, my opinion on attorneys in the FBI, and in general, remains the same.  They are ‘hired guns’ that generally have little ethical compass.  Well, ‘hired Guns’ is probably a considerable mischaracterization as far as the Bureau is concerned.  I should describe them more accurately as men and women that are uncomfortable with guns; as well as the requirement to deal appropriately with undesirables, aka the criminal element.  However, former attorneys are generally good at talking, or should I say pontificating, but deficient in many other aspects.  Unfortunately, the talking part often gets one promoted in the Bureau.  But, for those so inclined, it means you do not have to do the scary part.  You can just talk tough and assign someone else to handle it.

This is perhaps the long way around, but I plan to talk about the current FBI and how disappointed I am in the organization’s leadership, particularly Christopher Wray.

To be continued…

True Nelson