The FBI is a threat to our civil liberties, at least with the current crop of HQ executives at the helm. Coupled with a Department of Justice, led by a Democrat party apparatchik, there has hardly been a time when the liberties enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution have endured such a subversive attack.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland is a coward. You can see it in his soft, watery eyes. He simply does the bidding of his addled master, targeting the little guy — the most at-risk among us. Garland stands with his baton extended toward school board moms and January 6th attendees while a legion of his DOJ and FBI storm troops usher from the darkened denizens of the Hoover Building, backed by his cadre of Assistant U.S. Attorneys General.
What many people do not understand is the FBI and DOJ work hand-in-glove. The FBI collects information and builds a case, while DOJ brings prosecution. Consequently, the FBI Director, Christopher Wray, is lorded over by the U.S. Attorney General, his immediate boss. A courageous FBI Director would balk at Garland’s fascism, but Director Wray has made no attempt to protest.
So, there is no calumny perpetrated by the FBI that does not have its inception within the halls of DOJ, and there is no DOJ cabal that isn’t given birth within the Oval Office. Every executive power devolves from the Chief Executive, the President. Or, from whoever is filling the role of puppeteer these days. As President Truman said, “the buck stops here.”
Under such a dysfunctional regime, the responsibility to speak out devolves to those courageous souls with fractional power and with everything to lose. Several FBI whistleblowers have made their voices heard in recent weeks, but none as thoughtfully or as professionally as Special Agent Steve Friend — a messenger worthy of the message.
Friend recently gave an exclusive interview to Dan Bongino and discussed his personal experience when convicted by conscience to speak out about violations of FBI policy, and the FBI’s posture regarding the January 6th investigation. Friend, in contradistinction to others, conducted himself in an entirely professional manner. He focused his comments on the critical issues, highlighting the problems and not his personality. Clearly, Friend isn’t about personal aggrandizement, he’s part of the quiet professional cadre. You hear it in his measured words, his precision with language, and in his avoidance of ad hominem attacks on private individuals within the FBI — which only serve ego and divert attention from the critical message.
Friend isn’t disgruntled, a broken toy, or a performance problem, he’s persuaded by conscience and therein lies a world of difference. He’s someone to be taken seriously, not a clown show enjoying his five minutes of fame. Friend needs to be heard, because what he says rings with sincerity. It’s not just enough to get the message out there, it has to be carried by serious individuals; otherwise, the adversary will have a jolly time conflating the issues with buffoonery.
Some may object that Trump was hardly the perfect messenger and that his coarse personality detracted from the Make America Great Again message. However, the critical difference is this: Trump’s bombast was effective, welled up from a pure intention, and rallied thinking people to his message.
He’s an invective savant and a virtuoso at striking the delicate balance between humor and vitriol. There are, perhaps, a handful of people with that kind of talent — who truly understand their audience. And, what’s effective for a political figure with a lifetime of experience, making deals and creating empires, doesn’t suit a neophyte with an axe to grind — it’s about as effective as a blind man juggling nitroglycerin.
But, Friend is no neophyte and he doesn’t seem to be motivated by a stale grudge. His eyes are clear and his purpose is sharp and clean. Friend claims the FBI disseminated January 6th leads nation-wide to create the appearance of a ubiquitous white supremacist threat. He claims he was suspended without pay for bringing his concerns to FBI management and for refusing to participate in SWAT operations against individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses.
Friend told Just the News, “We took an oath, before our family and our friends and the Lord Almighty, and we are supposed to be people of integrity." This is the kind of person you want out front on issues so critical to the future of the American Republic. Friend also objects to being listed as a case agent on January 6th matters that he did not personally investigate. Friend rightly believes this to be in contradiction to FBI DIOG rules — the FBI bible on investigative practices and procedures. He also expressed concerns surrounding the overuse of FBI SWAT in January 6th investigations, and the potential for an unnecessary escalation in use of force.
All of these concerns are valid. No sane person wants another Ruby Ridge. And, the FBI must be held accountable for infractions of its own policy, certainly for its disregard for the civil rights of those on the Republican side of the isle — who espouse the MAGA perspective.
FBI Whistleblower Steve Friend, A Messenger Worthy Of The MessageThe FBI tradition is honored by people like Steve Friend, and he deserves the support of the retired FBI agent community, as well as currently employed special agents.
The FBI is broken, but it can be fixed. Calls to abolish the FBI are simply misguided. What would replace it? The U.S. Marine Corps has issues, but wouldn’t it be foolish to argue for its abolition? At the FBI and DOJ the head is corrupt. Rejuvenate the head of the beast and the body will heal. In November, we have an opportunity to move in the right direction. Simply put, AG Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray must go.