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Dallas' FBI chief says he chose to retire
Dallas Morning News ^ | 5/1/02 | Todd Bensman

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; US: Oklahoma; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: defenbaugh; fbi; fredthompson; okcbombing

1 posted on 05/01/2002 11:13:14 AM PDT by glorygirl
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To: okcsubmariner;codebreaker; Free the USA; VOA; lawdog; archy; Uncle Bill, MizSterious...
ping
2 posted on 05/01/2002 11:16:52 AM PDT by glorygirl
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To: *OKCbombing
Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.
3 posted on 05/01/2002 11:19:05 AM PDT by Free the USA
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To: glorygirl
"He [Mueller] agreed to take no action if I chose to retire," said Agent Defenbaugh, 50, who became eligible to retire 14 months ago.

Sounds like the 'new' FBI is the same as the old one. Good riddance.

4 posted on 05/01/2002 11:23:15 AM PDT by Fred Mertz
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To: Fred Mertz
Director Robert Mueller made sure that Defenbaugh would retire with FULL BENEFITS didn't he. That's not the discipline that I would have given him.
5 posted on 05/01/2002 11:58:09 AM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: glorygirl
"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."

This is a resignation, not a retirement since he plans to seek further employment. Of course he'll be getting his retirement pension benefits.

6 posted on 05/01/2002 12:14:12 PM PDT by weegee
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To: glorygirl
"It wasn't easy unloading my gun and turning in my credentials," he said.

His biggest regret is that he wasn't unloading that gun into somebody.

7 posted on 05/01/2002 12:16:43 PM PDT by weegee
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To: weegee
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.

8 posted on 05/01/2002 12:34:05 PM PDT by Wm Bach
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To: B4Ranch
"Full Benefits" under the federal retirement system accrue only after 40 years (under CSRS). This guy was 50 years old. Irrespective of whether he was eligible to retire or not, he would have had to have started working as a government employee at the age of 10 to have retired with "Full Benefits".
9 posted on 05/01/2002 3:00:53 PM PDT by muawiyah
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: muawiyah
Thank you for the correction. I now will sleep much better, thanks to you tonite.
11 posted on 05/01/2002 11:15:08 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: B4Ranch
And was your sleep as peaceful as you thought it might?

I only aim to please, eh?!

(Note to Outsiders - the discussion was about "full benefits" in the federal retirement system.)

12 posted on 05/02/2002 5:33:13 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah
From midnite to six, it was glorious. That's two hours more than I am normally able to sleep at a time. Just glorious!
13 posted on 05/02/2002 7:38:44 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: muawiyah
Just the fact he has to work in the outside 'real' world makes me smile broadly. heh heh and chuckle too.
14 posted on 05/02/2002 7:40:26 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: glorygirl;OKCSubmariner;Fred Mertz
Fire them all!
15 posted on 05/04/2002 3:34:46 PM PDT by Betty Jo
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