Posted on 05/01/2002 11:13:14 AM PDT by glorygirl
Danny Defenbaugh, the Dallas FBI leader recommended for discipline for withholding information in the trial of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, said Tuesday that he chose retirement after being told he would be transferred to a Washington, D.C., job.
Agent Defenbaugh, speaking on the last day of his 32-year bureau career and his four-year tenure in Dallas, said FBI Director Robert Mueller two weeks ago summoned him to a meeting about his future with the bureau.
The FBI director said during the 10-minute meeting that he wanted Agent Defenbaugh to leave his Dallas post for an administrative job in the bureau's Washington training division. Agent Defenbaugh, who was transferred to the 10th largest of 56 FBI divisions after the Oklahoma City bombing investigation, said he told Mr. Mueller that he would retire rather than lose the Dallas post and move across the country.
"He agreed to take no action if I chose to retire," said Agent Defenbaugh, 50, who became eligible to retire 14 months ago. "Both my wife and I enjoy it here. We still have a lot of friends here."
Agent Defenbaugh said he was job hunting and planned to stay in Dallas "if the job opportunity is here."
The meeting would represent the first known move by the bureau to discipline the four FBI officials whom the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General held responsible for the monthlong delay of Mr. McVeigh's execution.
Agent Defenbaugh again acknowledged fault but also said he was proud to have led the massive, three-year investigation that resulted in the convictions of Mr. McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
"The investigation was totally successful, and justice prevailed," he said.
FBI officials in Washington declined to immediately comment about the meeting with Mr. Mueller, nor would they say when the others might be disciplined or when Agent Defenbaugh might be replaced. For now, the Dallas FBI division will be led by Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ed Lueckenhoff, who at 5 p.m. Tuesday accepted one well-worn credentials wallet and a 9mm service revolver from his predecessor.
Agent Defenbaugh said he wanted to assure the public that several investigations, including one involving a series of questionable Dallas police narcotics busts, would not be affected by his departure.
"It is a high-priority case in this division," Agent Defenbaugh said. "I know it will continue to be worked as aggressively and thoroughly as possible."
He said he believed he was among the last FBI agents who had served under every FBI director, starting with J. Edgar Hoover, to whom Agent Defenbaugh delivered mail as a young bureau clerk just out of high school.
"I think I'm the last G-man standing," Agent Defenbaugh quipped. "I've had a great career."
His office suite at the West End's Landmark, once crammed with memorabilia including a 1930s-era Thompson machine gun, was empty Tuesday except for a few boxes.
Agents wandered in periodically to say goodbye and wish Agent Defenbaugh good luck. He spent part of his last day wandering through offices bidding farewell, occasionally betraying emotion.
"It wasn't easy unloading my gun and turning in my credentials," he said.
E-mail tbensman@dallasnews.com
Sounds like the 'new' FBI is the same as the old one. Good riddance.
Agent Defenbaugh said he was job hunting and planned to stay in Dallas "if the job opportunity is here."
This is a resignation, not a retirement since he plans to seek further employment. Of course he'll be getting his retirement pension benefits.
His biggest regret is that he wasn't unloading that gun into somebody.
Especially since it was a 9mm service revolver from his predecessor. You don't see too many of those around.
I only aim to please, eh?!
(Note to Outsiders - the discussion was about "full benefits" in the federal retirement system.)
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