NPR News Now: NPR News: 12-14-2020 1PM ET - FBI Reform

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NPR News: 12-14-2020 1PM ET

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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.

When Donald Trump retook the White House, many of the most powerful Americans—including many who resisted him in his first term—hurried to bend a knee. Jacob Weisberg wanted to understand why. He joins Harry for a conversation about his study of that capitulation: Profiles in Cowardice. Jacob breaks down the often confounding reasons these people knowingly betrayed their principles. After digging into some of the worst offenders, like Mitch McConnell, George W. Bush, and John Roberts, the pair turn to the tactics needed to counter what Jacob calls the “contagion of cowardice.”

Mentioned in this episode:
Jacob’s book.
Harry’s column about a story of small-scale resistance succeeding.

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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