I've been busy. Blogging has taken a backseat to everything. I guess a lot has been happening in the real world too.
Today former FBI Director James Comey will testify before a committee of Senators. Yesterday, President Trump named his nominee to replace Comey. Another lawyer from the Department of Justice.
In Comey's opening statement today, he will say that he was made uncomfortable by President Trump when Trump wanted to speak to him alone without the Attorney General. Comey will say that the FBI Director reports to the Attorney General.
That underlies two of the problems with James Comey.
He honestly told the story of Hillary Clinton so that he could be transparent with the American People. That could have been done in a written report of the facts, and the facts supported a charge of multiple violations of the law. Comey revealed to the public that he could not think of a "reasonable prosecutor" that would bring charges - because he could not match it with a historical prosecution. That was simply due to the fact that what she did was unprecedented. Obviously, many prosecutors came forward after his press conference and said they would have prosecuted. Either way - the fact was the the Director made himself the center of it all, and that is a bad thing.
Oh, back to two problems with Comey...
One, his discomfort with Trump was a weakness. I can hear him now in an email to agents, "...I just felt deep inside that the American people would best be served if I just supervised the FBI and let blind Lady Justice deal her cards..." We, the American people, should not know how he feels, or what scares him. Which leads to Two, the Director of the FBI should report directly to the President. There are things the FBI does that do not involve the Attorney General, or the Director of National Intelligence.
But you will never hear that in today's world run by lawyers. I have met a lawyer or two who I thought had a mind for investigations, and could drive them. But it takes and investigator to understand investigations, the process and the people who conduct them. A lawyer could do a good job at the helm of the FBI, but why skip all the great lawmen and hire another bureaucrat lawyer?
Who would I nominate? There were a couple of former agents in the running - not sure if they would have been good. I want Joe Friday. Just the facts, cut the feelings, thoughts, emotions and get the job done.
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| FBI Director Friday |
2 comments:
As usual, I agree with your assessment. I was disappointed that President Trump did not select a replacement for Dir. Comey who had an investigation background. It's not only the skill sets, but the general understanding of the business that litigators and appointed DOJ attorneys lack.
President Trump is a "New Yorker", and it's a weakness. He lenses things through his experience in the Big Apple and that doesn't translate outside of The City very well. The tweeting to get the last word in is pure NYC. And his new FBI Director is a New York guy - so they can speak New Yorker to New Yorker. While I can appreciate the bubble that President Trump finds himself in - as do all presidents - and the need to express himself to somebody who has a NYC frame of reference, that doesn't necessarily translate to the FBI as an entity which exists outside of New York City.
We'll see how it all works out. I don't think that you'll have Joe Friday.
... drops mic and walks stoically off the stage.
P.S. Race for FBI Director !
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