WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI agent was warned to keep quiet about the dismissal of a U.S. attorney after he told a newspaper her firing would hurt the agency's ongoing investigations and speculated politics was involved, a U.S. Senate panel heard on Tuesday.
FBI Director Robert Mueller defended the handling of the incident, saying: 'I do not believe it's appropriate for our special agents in charge to comment to the media on personnel decisions that are made by the Department of Justice.'
'I profoundly disagree,' replied Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, who told the panel of the warning to the agent. 'He (the agent) was simply saying that it would affect cases that were ongoing. And I think he's entitled to his opinion.'
Sounds kinda' like saying (with lots of brass beside you, and all around you) that you're following the advice of your generals, but ordering them to stay silent, but publicly visible and on display when they disagree. (Actually, it seems to come with military culture, without the need for potentially embarrassing direct orders. Very convenient.) All in the chain of command! Great PR for government work, when you can get it.
Nothing quite like a well-informed deliberative democracy in full flight. I wonder what that might look like?
Thanks to Truthout for helping me find this one. They need, and deserve, our support. And if more of us contributed, maybe they wouldn't have to beg quite so often.
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