The FBI File Heist That Changed History(FISA and Church Committee)

The Daily Beast ^ | 04/14/2017 | Bonnie Bertram Drew Magratten

[Kid Shelleen]

On March 8, 1971, a group of eight Vietnam War protestors broke into a Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Media, Pennsylvania and stole hundreds of government documents. The burglars were never caught but several are now stepping forward and claiming responsibility for the break in. The stolen memos, reports and internal correspondence they found provided the first tangible evidence that J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI was systematically targeting and harassing hundreds of American citizens

---SNIP--- In response to the exposure of COINTELPRO and other revelations, the Senate formed the so-called Church Committee, and Congress later issued reforms to limit how the government could gather intelligence. One result was the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA court,

[Kid Shelleen]

Interesting read for history buffs. The big take away is that the Left was never really against using the power of LE against citizens they just wanted to deconstruct LE institutions and take them over. It is also a reminder of how fanatical the left is. Whoever thinks the left can not go any lower does not remember the hundreds of bombings and riots in the 60s and 70s.

[TigerClaws]

I’m amazed that for decades leftists have hated the Deep State. FBI and CIA, according to them, killed Kennedy, invented AIDS, dealt crack, ands cause 9/11.

Now Dems are saying anyone who questions Deep State is unpatriotic and anti-American.

How times have changed.

[Richard Kimball]

Thanks for posting. It's amazing how not just the left, but many people, can shift gears and not realize it.

I've been thinking for years about doing a complete evaluation of how the media manipulates the thought process. Their ability to take the same people and have them go from being deeply suspicious of the deep state to defending them is amazing. You have to say the same thing about conservatives. How many of us defended Bush and the Iraq War until it became obvious that it was an insane venture, and we were as foolishly deceived as we claim the left is?

I voted for Bush. I supported the war. I was wrong. The deep state convinced me, just as they are currently playing to the left.

[cdpap]

How many FBI files do you think have been handed over to Melania Trump. I remember Hillary had hundreds of FBI files in her office. Nothing has changed and nothing will unless these institutions are removed and replaced. All current and former FBI bosses should be jailed for life and maybe that would be a good start.

[abb]

A review of LBJ’s White House tapes shows instance after instance of the FBI being used as a secret police against LBJ’s political enemies. He and Hoover were old pals.

[Kid Shelleen]

Deep in our hearts we knew they were full of crap but we still thought that for flagrant abuses of power they would put country above politics. How sad we went from COINTELPRO to Crossfire Hurricane.

[Fido969]

Dems love abusive government powers as long as they get to access those powers.

[Buckeye McFrog]

He may have been a sniveling Liberal cretin, but in hindsight I have to give Frank Church his due. Our spook community can be downright dangerous if not reined-in properly. Something akin to the Church Committee needs to happen at least once per decade.

[Pollster1]

J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI was systematically targeting and harassing hundreds of American citizens

James Comey's FBI was doing the same thing. I suspect today's FBI continues that institutional tradition. We need to clean the FBI out and establish a new institutional culture. It's a big job but well worth it. The FBI should really be limited to the Boy Scouts that they used to pretend to be.