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Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 12:03 PM Dec 2019

William Webster: I Headed the F.B.I. and C.I.A. There's a Dire Threat to the Country I Love.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/16/opinion/FBI-Trump-russia-investigation.html

The rule of law is the principle that protects every American from the abuse of monarchs, despots and tyrants.

By William Webster
Mr. Webster is a former federal judge and the former director of both the F.B.I. and the C.I.A.

Dec. 16, 2019

The privilege of being the only American in our history to serve as the director of both the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. gives me a unique perspective and a responsibility to speak out about a dire threat to the rule of law in the country I love. Order protects liberty, and liberty protects order. Today, the integrity of the institutions that protect our civil order are, tragically, under assault from too many people whose job it should be to protect them.

The rule of law is the bedrock of American democracy, the principle that protects every American from the abuse of monarchs, despots and tyrants. Every American should demand that our leaders put the rule of law above politics.

I am deeply disturbed by the assertion of President Trump that our “current director” — as he refers to the man he selected for the job of running the F.B.I. — cannot fix what the president calls a broken agency. The 10-year term given to all directors following J. Edgar Hoover’s 48-year tenure was created to provide independence for the director and for the bureau. The president’s thinly veiled suggestion that the director, Christopher Wray, like his banished predecessor, James Comey, could be on the chopping block, disturbs me greatly. The independence of both the F.B.I. and its director are critical and should be fiercely protected by each branch of government.

Over my nine-plus years as F.B.I. director, I reported to four honorable attorneys general. Each clearly understood the importance of the rule of law in our democracy and the critical role the F.B.I. plays in the enforcement of our laws. They fought to protect both, knowing how important it was that our F.B.I. remain independent of political influence of any kind.

As F.B.I. director, I served two presidents, one a Democrat, Jimmy Carter, who selected me in part because I was a Republican, and one a Republican, Ronald Reagan, whom I revered. Both of these presidents so respected the bureau’s independence that they went out of their way not to interfere with or sway our activities. I never once felt political pressure.

I know firsthand the professionalism of the men and women of the F.B.I. The aspersions cast upon them by the president and my longtime friend, Attorney General William P. Barr, are troubling in the extreme. Calling F.B.I. professionals “scum,” as the president did, is a slur against people who risk their lives to keep us safe. Mr. Barr’s charges of bias within the F.B.I., made without providing any evidence and in direct dispute of the findings of the nonpartisan inspector general, risk inflicting enduring damage on this critically important institution.

</snip>


34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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William Webster: I Headed the F.B.I. and C.I.A. There's a Dire Threat to the Country I Love. (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Dec 2019 OP
Recommended. H2O Man Dec 2019 #1
All these people together would be bluestarone Dec 2019 #2
Off to the greatest page malaise Dec 2019 #3
great article NewJeffCT Dec 2019 #4
K&R smirkymonkey Dec 2019 #5
He calls out Barr and that is a massive point. BSdetect Dec 2019 #6
To me it's as simple as the answer to this question will you kiss 45's a$$. Yes you stay. No you GO. usaf-vet Dec 2019 #7
KnR...nt N_E_1 for Tennis Dec 2019 #8
I'm sorry Wawannabe Dec 2019 #9
It's a thinkpiece that was submitted to the New York Times FakeNoose Dec 2019 #11
Rational statement but ... oh, come on. Wawannabe KPN Dec 2019 #31
So then, senior statesmen have nothing to offer? stopdiggin Dec 2019 #14
Opinions are available in spades. Wawannabe Dec 2019 #16
you're moral outrage stopdiggin Dec 2019 #17
Likewise Wawannabe Dec 2019 #18
Your request: MyOwnPeace Dec 2019 #19
Senate Minority Leader has some actions available Wawannabe Dec 2019 #20
Which of Schumer's minority powers is he not using? wnylib Dec 2019 #23
1000% True Blue American Dec 2019 #32
William Webster? kentuck Dec 2019 #10
Your "longtime friend" is a piece of shit, Bill. nt coti Dec 2019 #12
And Reagan, who he revered, helped lay the groundwork for the rise of Trump. Garrett78 Dec 2019 #28
We don't lack for modern "Paul Reveres" do we? Hekate Dec 2019 #13
True--What we want to see now..... lastlib Dec 2019 #22
Who will say True Blue American Dec 2019 #33
With the updated message of, "The Russians are here!" wnylib Dec 2019 #24
K&R... spanone Dec 2019 #15
how many gop senators will read this? how many will avoid reading any opinions like this, choosing wiggs Dec 2019 #21
I'm pretty sure I can guarantee you one thing Mr Webster maxrandb Dec 2019 #25
I smell director Wray will be fired next at140 Dec 2019 #26
republicants need to listen to one of their own scarytomcat Dec 2019 #27
"No true Scotsman" &c Nasruddin Dec 2019 #29
And yet, nothing about Trump's corruption, criminal bribery, PatrickforO Dec 2019 #30
As I watched the republicans in the senate burn down the FBI, UpInArms Dec 2019 #34

usaf-vet

(6,094 posts)
7. To me it's as simple as the answer to this question will you kiss 45's a$$. Yes you stay. No you GO.
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 12:55 PM
Dec 2019

Case in point Sessions NOT willing to give him a big red full lips smooch ..GONE

BARR apparently willing to perform the unspeakable in this forum is here to ..STAY.

As long as 45 gets to set that standard we the everyday Americans are screwed.

Wawannabe

(5,580 posts)
9. I'm sorry
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 01:47 PM
Dec 2019

But I don’t need Mr. Webster (who revered Reagan )...Or Malcolm Nance for that matter, to tell me of the dire straits this country is in. I have known this truth since Nov 9, 2016. Plain as the nose on my face!

Just who the hell does he think we the people are?

He’s just another bell ringer that shall be ignored by the masses.

I’ll tell you what will get my attention! The first SOB that stands up to the mofo and his cronies in the WH and does something about it. Let me name two or three Democrats here now:

Nancy Pelosi
Adam Schiff
Jerrold Nadler

THESE people have my attention. NO ONE ELSE is doing shit! Even Chuck Schumer has laid down because he thinks he is cockblocked. Well whatever! I want people in powerful positions to begin to DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR POWER!

I DON’t need no stinking article or interview that basically preaches to the choir. Cuz nobody else is listening. IT IS TIME TO ACT AND ACT BIG!


FakeNoose

(32,356 posts)
11. It's a thinkpiece that was submitted to the New York Times
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 01:59 PM
Dec 2019

... so we can assume a lot of those readers are not in line with DU. Many people are are still in doubt over the impeachment, mainly because they're getting their news/facts from Faux Snooze or some other conservative bubble. They're certainly not listening to Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff or Chuck Schumer.

We need to be patient and hope they will still listen to eminent scholars such as William Webster. Whether NYTimes really cares about changing peoples' minds is the question. Let's hope they still do care enough to keep posting articles such as this.

KPN

(15,587 posts)
31. Rational statement but ... oh, come on. Wawannabe
Tue Dec 17, 2019, 01:18 AM
Dec 2019

vented openly and, in my view, not inaccurately. Patience is good, but so is venting, especially when it is laced with truth.

stopdiggin

(11,095 posts)
14. So then, senior statesmen have nothing to offer?
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 02:45 PM
Dec 2019

as far as discourse and public opinion?
I'd take one of these opinion pieces every day ....

Wawannabe

(5,580 posts)
16. Opinions are available in spades.
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 02:51 PM
Dec 2019

Statesman, laborer, homeless person, women...all have opinions.

ACTION! It’s a beautiful word.

I know more laborers and women who have actually done something to protest or given up their jobs in disgust than any statesman you have on any pedestal.

Come on, patronize me some more!!!

MyOwnPeace

(16,888 posts)
19. Your request:
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 03:14 PM
Dec 2019
"I want people in powerful positions to begin to DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR POWER!"


The problem is, we are NOT in positions of power! The ONLY one we have is the House of Representatives. THAT IS IT!

Senate? No
White House? No
Courts? Maybe some, but with appeals and intentional "delays" - nothing that will get us to "ACT AND ACT BIG!"

I have NO problem with William Webster's writings. We NEED this - we NEED to hear from "the opposition" that now sees the problems with our current situation. Consider the ancient proverb:

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

You may find that repulsive, but if it delivers one more vote against IQ45, the battle continues.

Wawannabe

(5,580 posts)
20. Senate Minority Leader has some actions available
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 03:34 PM
Dec 2019

Reality is this:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212787564

and action is needed in every way possible by every elected person in power because we gave them the power to ACT.

My request is to use their power to ACT.
Be tireless in finding the power to ACT.




True Blue American

(17,972 posts)
32. 1000%
Tue Dec 17, 2019, 06:58 AM
Dec 2019


I caught that revered Reagan, too! Reagan and Bush held hostages to beat Jimmy Carter who was a thousand times more decent than Reagan or Bush!

Garrett78

(10,721 posts)
28. And Reagan, who he revered, helped lay the groundwork for the rise of Trump.
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 08:54 PM
Dec 2019

And Barr is a longtime piece of shit. Barr got GHWB to pardon Iran Contra perps.

I'll say it again, I welcome the criticism of Trump, but Never Trumpers are in deep, deep denial. 50+ years of increasingly cruel and unhinged rhetoric and policy made Trump possible. Trump didn't happen in a vacuum.

lastlib

(22,981 posts)
22. True--What we want to see now.....
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 04:20 PM
Dec 2019

is, who will be the Minutemen at Lexington and Concord? Who will show up at the fight? Who will join with our Speaker and House Committee chairmen? They will be the heroes.

wiggs

(7,788 posts)
21. how many gop senators will read this? how many will avoid reading any opinions like this, choosing
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 04:05 PM
Dec 2019

instead a willful ignorance of the facts, consequences, and pressure even if from fellow republicans?

this should be read on the house and senate floors!!

maxrandb

(15,192 posts)
25. I'm pretty sure I can guarantee you one thing Mr Webster
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 05:08 PM
Dec 2019
There is NO fucking way that the next Democratic President appoints ANY fucking Retrumplican to serve as the FBI Director.

I'm pretty sure the next Democratic President is going to appoint someone that is finally going to clean out the racist, right wing fucksticks that permeate the FBI.

I'm willing to bet the next Democratic President will appoint an FBI Director that will give Leningrad Lindsey, Moscow Mitch, and the Retrumplican biased wing nuts in the FBI the vapors.

You want to see some political bias?... Stand the fuck by.

There's a long overdue reckoning coming.

History is going to treat these pricks like it treated the SS.

So, if there is anything good to come from this shitshow, it will be to clean out the racism, sexism and anti- Democratic Party bias in the FBI that has gone unchecked since before the Nixon years.

scarytomcat

(1,706 posts)
27. republicants need to listen to one of their own
Mon Dec 16, 2019, 08:49 PM
Dec 2019

they need to wake up to the destruction they are heading us for

PatrickforO

(14,516 posts)
30. And yet, nothing about Trump's corruption, criminal bribery,
Tue Dec 17, 2019, 12:39 AM
Dec 2019

betraying allies, Russian interference.

Just sticking up for the FBI.

I mean, I can see him wanting to do that, but let's go just a little bit further, shall we?

UpInArms

(51,253 posts)
34. As I watched the republicans in the senate burn down the FBI,
Tue Dec 17, 2019, 08:49 AM
Dec 2019

I wept for my country

The wounds from this maladminstration may never heal

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