FBI Director Wray Finally Orders Internal Review of Flynn Investigation
Christopher Wray has ordered an investigation of the Flynn case in an effort to limit damage to the Bureau.
So just imagine it -- here's how the press account will go:
An anonymous source that has proved reliable in the past has revealed that the internal review ordered by FBI Director Christopher Wray is actually completed. The announcement of the investigation was a mere formality. In this election year it is merely a matter of waiting for the most propitious time to release it. As expected the report concludes that there were no illegal acts by FBI agents.
The report concluded that much of the criticism of the FBI is the result of taking items out of context. Critics who charge FBI agents with committing perjury are mistaken. However, several examples were found where agents showed a certain lack of candor. They occasionally misspoke or misremembered or were not completely forthcoming. It is clear that they should have been more clear in their wording on occasion.
Many of the documents requested by critics were either lost or unavailable. One agent who had irresponsibly brought his Irish Terrier to work found that the dog had consumed several very important documents. They were irretrievable. Others were mistakenly destroyed by the cleaning crew. A new training program has been initiated and the members of the cleaning crew have been properly chastised.
We must question the motives of those who would destroy the U.S. intelligence community. Their tendency to believe conspiracy theories calls their mental health into question. Frankly their McCarthyism marks them as deplorables clinging to their guns and bibles. These critics should be concerned about their wellbeing. As Senator Schumer said, "Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you.”
Now back to reality:
Of course there was no anonymous source and the investigation may be just beginning. However, the excuses and semantic exercises are getting old. FBI and media guru wordsmiths are experts in this field. Using the term "grossly negligent" instead of "extremely careless" can mean the difference between violating a statute and mild criticism. The "dog eating my homework" may have been unnecessary, but it illustrates the absurdity of some of their excuses. Christopher Wray has stonewalled every effort by Congress to obtain records. He has revealed himself as a member of the Deep State. Wray ordered the Bureau’s Inspection Division to conduct an after-action review of the Michael Flynn investigation. He would not have done this unless he was confident that they would minimize any damage done. He is not about to abandon the Deep State.
It is instructive to read the words of a Chinese philosopher 2,400 years ago. Confucius said, "If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant. If what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done remains undone. If this remains undone, then morals and acts deteriorate. If morals and acts deteriorate, justice will go astray. If justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. Hence, there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This matters above everything."
John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from St. Mary’s University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program "Things We Forgot to Remember:" Morgenthau Plan and post-war Germany.
Caricature by DonkeyHotey, via Flickr