NPR News Now: NPR News: 12-23-2021 2PM ET - FBI Reform

Listen to this article

NPR News: 12-23-2021 2PM ET

Download audio: https://play.podtrac.com/npr-500005/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/newscasts/2021/12/23/newscast140736.mp3?awCollectionId=500005&awEpisodeId=1067398138&orgId=1&d=300&p=500005&story=1067398138&t=podcast&e=1067398138&size=4500000&ft=pod&f=500005

NPR News Now

Audio Review – Security and FBI

Talking Feds

Talking Feds is a roundtable discussion that brings together prominent former government officials, journalists, and special guests for a dynamic and in-depth analysis of the most pressing questions in law and politics.

For the latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Rep. Tom Malinowski, and Jen Rubin join Harry to stake out their cautious optimism about Trump’s declining strength. The panel takes stock of the administration’s vital Supreme Court defeat in the mail-in ballots case before looking at the ways the wheels are falling off the DOJ’s opaque “grand conspiracy” investigation. Finally, with rising gas prices lifting Democrats’ midterm hopes, the group assess what actions Democrats need to take if they regain the House or Senate come November.

Mentioned in this episode:
Check out the video version of this episode.
The Contrarian.
Harry’s column about the mail-in ruling.
Harry’s Substack Live with Steve Vladeck about the mail-in ruling.
Jen’s column about how Democrats should use the power of the purse.
Tom’s article about what Democrats should do with a majority.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Search Episodes

Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Trump

September 17, 2026

Harry Litman

The Midterms Seen from Michigan

September 14, 2026

Harry Litman

Donald Trump’s Quest for Eternal Life

September 10, 2026

Harry Litman

Molly Mashup: “Trump Makes Nixon Look Like Lincoln”

September 7, 2026

Harry Litman

Democrats’ Path to Beating Trump

September 3, 2026

Harry Litman

Contempt, Crime, and Chaos: Trump’s DOJ from a Judge’s Eyes

August 31, 2026

Harry Litman

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

August 27, 2026

Harry Litman

Pacifying the President

August 24, 2026

Harry Litman

The Biggest Threats to Free and Fair Midterms

August 20, 2026

Harry Litman

Trump’s Monumental Ego

August 17, 2026

Harry Litman

Search Results placeholder

News and Opinions From The SoundCloud

FBI: you do not know how to fish. Go back to your Pinkerton Fishing School!!!

#Рыбак из Австралии выловил из глубин океана гигантскую золотую рыбку. Вес рыбки составлял около 10 килограммов. Мужчина опубликовал видео с рыбой в соцсетях. Чтобы идентифицировать #улов, ему пришлось обратиться к специалисту по глубоководной рыбалке ...https://t.co/6LGTboo0mp pic.twitter.com/6Iut28Z9K1
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) August 22, 2021

FBI is just a Church for its members

John Durham and his investigations of FBI

John Durham | Whitey Bulger

M.N.: The FBI issues of dysfunction and problems with legality are not random or sporadic, they appear to be systemic, structural, and deeply rooted. The whole organization and some workers appear to be just as cynical, psychopathic, conniving, and rotten as the very field they are dealing with.

The FBI and the Mob appear to have many common elements in their collective mentality, and it is logical: The primary function of the both groups is to protect and to benefit their respective members. In essence as Norman Mailer observed so aptly, the FBI is a Church which exists to satisfy and to tender to the needs of its members (“the true mediocre”), first of all and most of all.

„At bottom, I mean profoundly at bottom, the FBI has nothing to do with Communism, it has nothing to do with catching criminals, it has nothing to do with the Mafia, the syndicate, it has nothing to do with trust-busting, it has nothing to do with interstate commerce, it has nothing to do with anything but serving as a church for the mediocre. A high church for the true mediocre.“

I think, it was the truth then, and it still is the same truth now.
In 1963, Mailer wrote — as paraphrased in an FBI memo — that the bureau had done more damage to America than the Communist Party. That same year, a magazine quoted Mailer as calling Hoover “the worst celebrity in America.”Nov 15, 2008

Political attacks on Chris Wray

Michael Novakhov

All I see now in these #FBI comments are the political attacks on Chris Wray in order to unseat him. Be careful and aware of what you are asking for: the FBI dysfunctions can become worse with the new leader, male-female issue is irrelevant here. I recommend to create THE FBI ADVISARY BOARD, of the best minds in Academia and related fields, and to proceed with the reforms; gradually, cautiously, and prudently, under Mr. Wray, who appears to be committed to these reforms. 14w