Comey's book tour is all about 'truth' -- but his FBI tenure, not so much

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Comey's book tour is all about 'truth' -- but his FBI tenure, not so much

By James Bovard, opinion contributor - 04/20/18 06:00 AM EDT

In 2014, Comey declared that "We do use deception at times to catch crooks, but we are acting responsibly and legally." His comment was spurred by revelations that an FBI agent had masqueraded as an Associated Press reporter and fabricated an AP story. The Associated Press complained that the FBI's tactics undermined "the vital distinction between the government and the press," while the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press protested that the ruse "creates the appearance that it is not independent of the government." But Comey declared the technique was "proper and appropriate," allowing such scams to continue.

http://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/384083-james-comeys-book-tou...

Okay, here’s what that is all about...

SEATTLE (AP) — The FBI’s creation of a fake news story and impersonation of an Associated Press reporter during a criminal investigation undermine media credibility, blur the lines between law enforcement and the press and raise questions about whether the agency followed its own guidelines, free press advocates say.

In a letter to The New York Times on Thursday, FBI Director James Comey said an agent “portrayed himself as an employee of The Associated Press” in 2007 to help catch a 15-year-old suspect accused of making bomb threats at a high school near Olympia, Washington. It was publicized last week that the FBI forged an AP story during its investigation, but Comey’s letter revealed the agency went further and had an agent pretend to be a reporter for the wire service.

https://apnews.com/89470f11697641518c1043aab01773ac

Here’s one that should make EVERYBODY angry, regardless if you’re anti-Bundy or pro-Bundy (which I doubt few of you are). And it shows our crack FBI in action and their super-ability to screw up anything.

From original article

This past January, federal judge Gloria Navarro dismissed all charges, denouncing “flagrant” and “reckless” misconduct by federal prosecutors. The FBI was exposed for lying for more than three years regarding its deployment of sniper teams around the Bundys’ ranch prior to the Bundys summoning supporters to protect them.

http://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/384083-james-comeys-book-tou...

Here’s more info on the Bundy fuck up...

Cliven Bundy standoff case thrown out in another stunning blow to government

The judge on Dec. 20 had declared a mistrial in the case after finding prosecutors withheld six types of evidence from defendants, representing at least 1,000 pages of documents, that should have been shared at least a month before the trial started in November. She said then that she would consider whether to dismiss the case outright or allow a new trial.

On Monday, she spent a half-hour delivering a scathing assessment of the prosecution's and the FBI's conduct as she tossed out the charges.

Navarro found prosecutors engaged in a "deliberate attempt to mislead" and made several misrepresentations to both the defense and the court about evidence related to a surveillance camera and snipers outside the Bundy ranch in early April 2014, as well as threat assessments made in the case.

*.

Navarro didn’t buy it and shredded the government for a “reckless disregard for Constitutional obligations.” She said she was troubled by the prosecution's tardiness in delivering information about the government's placing of surveillance cameras and snipers outside the ranch.

https://apple.news/AcuiLHOAITN2wmpHOFfcKCw

I am NOT a Bundy sympathizer by any mean, way, form, or shape. BUT the FBI and Prosecutors did some really shady stuff, totally unnecessary IMO, and turned what should have been a slam-dunk arrest and conviction into a shit-show with its own real ‘shot in a government stand-off’ martyr.

AAAnnnndddd here’s another snippet from the original article...

The Justice Department inspector general last month exposed Comey’s arguably deceitful tactics regarding his campaign to outlaw private encryption, which he perennially portrayed as a grave peril to public safety. After a Muslim couple gunned down 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif., the FBI invoked a 1789 law to sway a federal judge to order Apple to write anti-encryption software that would hand the FBI the keys to break into the terrorist’s iPhone (and all other iPhones).

While Apple appealed that decision, Comey testified to Congress in March 2016 that the FBI was effectively helpless unless Apple was brought to heel. But three weeks later, the Justice Department announced that a private vendor had opened the killer’s iPhone’s records for the FBI.The IG report concluded that Comey “didn’t know that his testimony was false at the time he gave it,” the Electronic Freedom Foundation noted.

http://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/384083-james-comeys-book-tou...

Yeah,it’s a lot of paragraphs. And he’s a busy guy. This isn’t the ‘Hero’ who backed up Ashcroft when he stood (sort of) up to Gonzalez and Card over the Stellar Winds program while Ashcroft was in the hospital. This guy has grown into himself, into his true nature. He’ a sneak and a liar and has no respect for the law, the Constitution, and certainly none for the rabble. He’s just another in a long line of really unfit people we have had and still have running our country. And he’s still out there, like The Clinton Creature, selling his book and blaming everybody but himself.

JUST BECAUSE I like this song...

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mimi's picture

Yeah,it’s a lot of paragraphs. And he’s a busy guy. This isn’t the ‘Hero’ who backed up Ashcroft when he stood (sort of) up to Gonzalez and Card over the Stellar Winds program while Ashcroft was in the hospital. This guy has grown into himself, into his true nature. He’ a sneak and a liar and has no respect for the law, the Constitution, and certainly none for the rabble. He’s just another in a long line of really unfit people we have had and still have running our country. And he’s still out there, like The Clinton Creature, selling his book and blaming everybody but himself.

I read an interview he gave to the German Weekly Magazine "Der Spiegel". He crossed over to me a little bit more honest than you describe him. He just seems to play with the prejudices the people have of him anyhow, and that seems to look a bit arrogant or meany to them.

"Die Szene war kaum auszuhalten, sie spielt sich bis heute in meinem Kopf in Zeitlupe ab" (freely translated: the scene was unbearable, til today I see it in slow motion in front of my eyes)

James Comey vergleicht im Interview den US-Präsidenten mit einem Mafiaboss und erklärt, warum er trotz der Russlandaffäre gegen eine Amtsenthebung ist. (=James Comey compares the US President with a Mafia boss and explain while he is against an impeachment procedure despite the Russia affair).

You may google translate the interview for yourself, if you want to.

I admit I don't understand why Comey (or Müller) are so-called bad guys. To me they seem to be seriously trying to do a good job. (I would have redacted this sentence, because it had caused outrage, but thought it would be more honest to stick by my 'mistakes' and carry them with me 'heads up').

I guess I have missed the train and should just take the last bus home and not come back.

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mimi's picture

@mimi
the 'news stories' from Germany to understand them in a way that would allow me to make a reasonable comment.

Just saying that I am sorry for it and that I need to leave. I hope you all stay well and don't break.
Best Wishes to all of you.

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@mimi
It seems kind of forced pigeon holing and a lot of words like "deep state" and a bunch of Trump insults to make Comey evil.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

snoopydawg's picture

@Timmethy2.0

Comey is really wearing a white hat and the FBI has always been our friend? Amanda just found some things that would make him look bad?

okay then.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg Dammit, Amanda! Give the guy a break! lol!
After all, his agency made Bundy look like a hero!
I believe him when he says deception is only used to catch crooks.
He would never, ever deceive us.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

@on the cusp @snoopydawg
if you think any normal foreign person could follow all of what you ever said about Comey or what others said about Comey during the last three to four years, you must be living in bubble.

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@mimi I didn't read your comments until you replied to me. I wasn't aware you were in the thread.
I am not sure why my joke with snoopydawg has anything to do with you or Timmethy.
I once regarded FBI agents very highly. They no longer play by the rules imposed on the rest of us and I find it humorous when they get exposed for cheating.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

@on the cusp
and have no clue about anything anymore. Sorry.

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snoopydawg's picture

@ Mimi

has done in his entire career, Mimi. If you're looking for what Amanda is talking about it's right there in the articles she linked to. And in the excerpts she posted.

The point is that the FBI and the other intelligence agencies personnel are not our friends and they shouldn't be put on people's pedestals that the Russia Gaters have placed them on just because Trump is president and Hillary is not.

He just seems to play with the prejudices the people have of him anyhow, and that seems to look a bit arrogant or meany to them.

Yeah that's it. We just have arrogant and mean prejudices against him for some reason not related to what he has done.

Sheesh

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

mimi's picture

@snoopydawg
nor did I mean to get overwhelmed with life. Obviously I am. That's how it looks like. Comey this and Comey that, Mueller this and Mueller that, why should I really care about it? If something gets so FUBAR in my mind, reason tells me to stop fucking around with it. And from what I see I would say the world is FUBAR and this conversation proves it. I am sorry for it. I need a break from here.

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@mimi Just go take a break. You need not announce it.
This is not dkos.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

@Timmethy2.0

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Amanda Matthews's picture

huh?

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa