Posted on 02/01/2018 11:07:18 AM PST by Red Badger
As Trump prepares to release a GOP document accusing the FBI of abuses, bureau alums hope Director Chris Wray holds the line—but has to be ready to walk.
Former FBI agents are warning that FBI Director Christopher Wray has to be prepared to quit, should President Donald Trump assent over bureau objections to the release of a memo calling the FBI’s integrity into question.
The release of the memo, considered imminent, shows no signs of stopping, even as the leader of Democrats in the House called on its Republican author, Devin Nunes, to be removed from his chairmanship of the House intelligence committee. It was the latest move in an extraordinary episode that appears set to spark a crisis over the criminal investigation into Trump’s potential ties to Russia.
At the center of the storm is Wray, Trump’s hand-picked FBI director. Wray got his job after Trump fired James Comey last year for what Comey described as insufficient personal “loyalty” over the Russia investigation.
On Wednesday, Wray’s FBI publicly attacked Nunes’ memo for “material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.” Trump overriding Wray will immediately call Wray’s future in the Trump administration into question six month into his tenure.
Former FBI agents say that they hope Wray can remain in office, and pull Trump and House Republicans back from the precipice of what may be a pivotal moment in the bureau’s history. But they also say Wray needs to show his willingness to walk.
“Given the climate and the recent activities, going as far back as Director Comey’s departure, Wray definitely must be prepared to resign,” said Erroll Southers, a retired FBI special agent now at the University of Southern California.
“I don’t think the director has to resign. He should be prepared to publicly discredit this cherry-picked, fake memo and expose Nunes,” added former FBI counterterrorism special agent Ali Soufan. Soufan cited the bad blood between Director Louis Freeh and President Bill Clinton in the 1990s as a sign that the FBI can continue investigating a president despite their relationship collapsing.
Former FBI agents are warning that FBI Director Christopher Wray has to be prepared to quit, should President Donald Trump assent over bureau objections to the release of a memo calling the FBI’s integrity into question.
The release of the memo, considered imminent, shows no signs of stopping, even as the leader of Democrats in the House called on its Republican author, Devin Nunes, to be removed from his chairmanship of the House intelligence committee. It was the latest move in an extraordinary episode that appears set to spark a crisis over the criminal investigation into Trump’s potential ties to Russia.
At the center of the storm is Wray, Trump’s hand-picked FBI director. Wray got his job after Trump fired James Comey last year for what Comey described as insufficient personal “loyalty” over the Russia investigation.
On Wednesday, Wray’s FBI publicly attacked Nunes’ memo for “material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.” Trump overriding Wray will immediately call Wray’s future in the Trump administration into question six month into his tenure.
Former FBI agents say that they hope Wray can remain in office, and pull Trump and House Republicans back from the precipice of what may be a pivotal moment in the bureau’s history. But they also say Wray needs to show his willingness to walk.
“Given the climate and the recent activities, going as far back as Director Comey’s departure, Wray definitely must be prepared to resign,” said Erroll Southers, a retired FBI special agent now at the University of Southern California.
“I don’t think the director has to resign. He should be prepared to publicly discredit this cherry-picked, fake memo and expose Nunes,” added former FBI counterterrorism special agent Ali Soufan. Soufan cited the bad blood between Director Louis Freeh and President Bill Clinton in the 1990s as a sign that the FBI can continue investigating a president despite their relationship collapsing.
But Nunes has the support of Trump, on whose transition team he served. Trump is widely expected to assent to the memo’s release as soon as Thursday, though Fox News is reporting it will come Friday. That is the day when the House of Representatives’ parliamentary rules compel Trump to register any objections to declassification of the memo the FBI considers fundamentally misleading.
Southers expects Wray’s tenure after the memo’s release to be “very tense. The pressure is going to continue mounting. I never thought I’d see the FBI deemed the enemy of the state by anyone, let alone people in this country,” he said.
Should Wray remain in office, Southers continued, “he’s going to have to be a rock going forward, making clear to people that his only objective [will be] to stay focused on the mission. Certain things will be out of his control, and that includes his future, as it relates to the president.”
Resign.
Hell, do it Japanese style.
You won’t be missed.
Something is wrong here. Ali Soufan and I have crossed paths. Something is very, very wrong. He’s not the type of guy to go down with the ship. I’ve always seen him as a pretty honorable guy. Makes me wonder.
If the FBI is, or becomes, “the enemy of the people of this country”, then it is on the FBI, not on POTUS or the people of this country.
We have every indication that the FBI colluded with probably Hillary, Comey, Lynch, 0bama, and likely others, none of whom were RUSSIAN, in an effort to destroy Trump as a candidate and then as POTUS.
Lol they quote a retired agent saying the memo he’s never seen is “fake”. Wouldn’t you love him working on your case?
Place a gag order on Congress??? That’d be a hoot!
Rudy is going to be 74 in a few weeks.
At this stage in his life, he may not wish to take on such an immense responsibility. For one thing, there are too many potential backstabbers in the GOP lying in wait to sabotage or disable any real conservative. The task of weeding out and recultivating a new, better FBI is going to be a dangerous, thankless task for a decade or two, if it ever happens at all.
Trey Gowdy seems to be worn out , frustrated by the constant infighting and inertia. The high point may have been during the Bengazi Hearings. No doubt Trey still gets feedback from republicans who don’t understand the system, and were disappointed that
he wasn’t more aggressive on Hillary Clinton.
If you recall, at the end of that multi-hour interrogation, Hillary (and the press) declared herself ‘Victorious!’
She probably felt ‘victorious’ because she was allowed to walk out of the building without heavy chained wound around her stubby ankles.
Christopher Wray may be a nice guy and an upstanding citizen, but I’m at the point where I don’t care if everyone in the FBI sets themselves on fire at their desks tomorrow.
I was once in a corporate situation where the FBI was investigating possible corrupt practices (there were some), and one can't predict how most individuals will respond if things might impact them in any way, either as trouble with the law, or improved or diminished career possibilities.
This is a trap.
I’ve been concerned about the way this has been going for a while, but the “undermining the rule of law” line from Schumer, of all people, convinced me.
The problem with the FBI is not just that it’s cooking up false allegations about the President, but that for years it has gotten away with (in cooperation with the DOJ) investigatory and prosecutorial abuse. People have been destroyed by a lawless enterprise that pretends it is following the rules. It took President Trump standing up to these weasels to expose the depth of the corruption. Smaller fish without the President’s resources and bully pulpit, didn’t stand a chance against these predators.
“material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.”
Like reacting the names of the people involved? Aren’t those material facts?
Wray went to the WH Sunday and viewed the memo. Then on Monday McCabe is told he might just as well not come in to work any more. Then Tuesday he puts out a statement urging non-release. Doesn’t sound like he’s exactly making his position clear. Maybe that’s the point.
Sad. I’ve worked with multiple members of Ali’s team, and to a person they were honorable, talented and skilled. I’m shocked by that response from him.
Is Scaramucci an attorney, or just a money guy? He’s got the right attitude to take down the aholes in FBI/DOJ. Another NYC street fighter to complement PDJT.
What we are seeing here is the Mount Everest of the deep state. The 100+ federal police apparatus and the 16 agencies of the intelligence community. There is a desperate need for reorganization, consolidation, and essentially the de-politicization of these agencies.
Federal Law Enforcement in the United States:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States
While the majority of federal law enforcement employees work for the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, there are dozens of other federal law enforcement agencies under the other executive departments, as well as under the legislative and judicial branches of the federal government.
In September 2008, federal agencies employed approximately 120,000 full-time law enforcement officers who were authorized to make arrests and carry firearms in the United States. This was the equivalent of 40 officers per 100,000 residents.
The US Intelligence Community:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Community
“The Washington Post reported in 2010 that there were 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies in 10,000 locations in the United States that were working on counterterrorism, homeland security, and intelligence, and that the intelligence community as a whole includes 854,000 people holding top-secret clearances. According to a 2008 study by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, private contractors make up 29% of the workforce in the U.S. intelligence community and account for 49% of their personnel budgets.”
Bkmrk.
““Or Trey Gowdy.”
probably not.
1) He isn’t running again, so he won’t be around.
2) He’s never brought a major investigation to fruition while in office, in spite of a lot of show-boating and razzle-dazzle.
We want someone who’s effective and not easily intimidated.”
Maybe he could take the post, jointly with Darrell Issa, since they both did half-assed jobs.
Two half-assed jobs equals one. Maybe together they would get the job done.
This is just deep state sewer gas!
Yep!
Sewer gas!
I don’t think Moochie can keep his mouth shut. How about... Roger Stone??? Get Me Roger Stone!
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