Reprinted with permission from the website Main Justice.

Konrad Motyka/ticklethewire.com photo

With FBI Director Robert Mueller’s 10-year term expiring in September, President Obama faces one of the most important decisions of his presidency in the fight against terrorism: the selection of the next FBI Director. There are already calls for the President to nominate a judge or prosecutor, fields where the majority of the former Directors served before assuming office.

The Bureau’s leadership must evolve just as the challenges facing the Bureau have evolved, and the President should not limit candidates to judges or prosecutors, as accomplished as some of these individuals may be. The first Director selected post 9-11 must continue to enhance the effectiveness of the FBI in i the fight against terrorism, while not compromising the Bureau’s established expertise at both criminal and counterintelligence investigations.

The FBI Agents Association, representing over 12,000 current and former FBI Agents, believes the President should be guided by a new set of principles.

Mike Mason/fbi photo

The FBIAA’s first principle is that a new Director must recognize that FBI Special Agents are Central to the Bureau’s core mission. In the wake of 9-11, there was  a concerted effort to transfer the Bureau’s domestic, intelligence-gathering responsibilities to a proposed M15-styled agency. Quashing that effort, Director Mueller advocated the important linkage between criminal investigative principles and experience, intelligence gathering and analysis, and counterterrorism efforts. While priorities may change, Agents are as essential to the Bureau’s primary mission of protecting our country as they are to combating a wide array of crimes ranging from street gangs to mortgage fraud.

Second, effectively combating 21st century crimes requires bridging counterterrorism and traditional investigative efforts. Therefore, the next Director must have an understanding of more than just criminal prosecutions — he or she must be able to negotiate the unique issues associated with simultaneously working towards intelligence and criminal prosecution objectives.

Third, the new Director must advocate effectively for the Bureau, and therefore must understand and respect the work of Agents. History has show that when the senior-level men and woman who lead the Bureau understand Agents — the obstacles we overcome, the burdens our families endure, and the often life-threatening circumstances we face — the Bureau is a more effective agency.

As the FBIAA developed these principles, one candidate was brought up repeatedly by Agents in the field as someone who embodies them: Michael Mason. While our association is not limiting itself to the candidacy of Mr. Mason, we believe he is the type of person who embodies our principles.

Mr. Mason served the Bureau in a wide variety of positions and locations over his 23 year career, culminating in his assignment as Assistant Director in charge of the Washington Field Office, and ultimately, as the Executive Assistant Director for the Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI. He has unique private sector experience as director of security for a major international telecommunications company. His experience as a Special Agent in the field and as a leader in a variety of FBI management positions provides him a unique perspective that will enable him to formulate, implement, and communicate policies that maximize the effectiveness of the Bureau.

Just as unexpected challenges confronted Director Mueller when he  assumed his position one week before 9-11, the next Director will have new obstacles to overcome and new opportunities to lead. There are many fine candidates  who will likely be discussed in the coming weeks. In the post9-11 world, special attention should be paid to candidates like Michael Mason, who possess experience in criminal investigation, management of national security and intelligence operations, and who have worked with foreign countries and intelligence community partners.

WEEKEND STORIES OF INTEREST

• Former Miss USA Claims She Was Molested By TSA At Airport (FOX News)
• TSA Employee Indicted for Sneaking People Past Security (WKBW)
• Public Defender in Cleveland Wants to Help Accused Nazi John Demjanjuk (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

By Allan Lengel

Veteran FBI agent James Nice,  who is stationed at headquarters in Washington, is heading to his hometown of Akron, Ohio to become police chief, according to a city press release. He will assume the post on June 6.

Nice, 56, currently serves as Chief of Undercover and Sensitive Operations at FBI Headquarters. He directs all undercover operations for the bureau in the U.S. and overseas, the city said.

Several years back, he got assigned to the Cleveland FBI so he could be closer to his father during his last illness.

“Five years ago, I knew I wanted to return home,” Nice said, according to the release.  “My dad spent 81 of his 83 years in Akron, and I was glad to care for him before his death in 2008.”

During that time, Nice said:

“I had the opportunity to get to see Akron’s police department in action. “Without exaggeration the men and women of the Akron Police Department who worked with me on that case were among the most professional officers I have ever served with in 26 years. The people of Akron are lucky to have law enforcement that works together better than any place I have ever seen.”

By Allan Lengel

The feds are investigating an  Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Miami for allegedly taking more than $100,000 in bribes from a confidential government informant, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

The bribes were allegedly paid to ICE agent Juan Martinez for “temporary parole” immigration status for Colombians and others. The status allowed them to stay in the U.S. even though they did not qualify for such status, the paper reported.

Martinez has been suspended without pay and his attorney declined comment, the paper reported.

The paper reported that ICE confidential informant, Jose Miguel Aguirre-Pinzon, was charged in mid-April with allegedly paying about $109,000 in bribes “to a public official, with the intent to influence any official act.” The official was not named.

The U.S. grants short-term parole benefits to endangered family members of drug traffickers and government witnesses who assist the Justice Department, the paper reported.

To read more click here.

Feds Say They’ve Broken Detroit Airport Drug Ring: MyFoxDETROIT.com

By Allan Lengel

After endless debate, the Portland City Council in Oregon voted unanimously Thursday for its police department to rejoin the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force — sort of.

The city quit the JTTF in 2005, citing concerns that the FBI was violating civil rights. It was also concerned its officers might snoop on citizens and violate local laws. Then-police chief and mayor were also angry that they did not have access to the same classified information task force officers had.

But on Thursday, the council reached a compromise: It decided not to permanently assign manpower to the JTTF, but to get involved  with the anti-terrorism task force on an “as-needed basis” when it deemed the investigations worthy, The Oregonian reported.

Under the plan, the police chief will have the discretion to assign officers to investigations after consulting with the police commissioner, the Oregonian reported. Some community members were adamantly against the city having a relationship with the JTTF.

U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton praised the vote, The Oregonian reported.

The issue to rejoin bubbled up again late last year after the FBI set up a sting and busted a man who was plotting to detonate a bomb at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland.

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WASHINGTON — Politics can be a dirty game. It can also be a dangerous one.

The FBI reports that lawmakers were the target of more threats of violence in 2010 than in any other year on record, according to The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Some threats involved health care legislation, The Hill reported. And politicians from both sides of the isle were targets including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The Hill reported the FBI opened, investigated and closed at least 26 threats against lawmakers.

Last March, The Hill reported, Pelosi got a call from a man who said: “I’m going to come down there and put a bullet in your a– when you leave.”

A McConnell staff member got a call last year from someone who said: “I’m going to kill you and your senator and your staff.”

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• FBI Claims Chinese Hackers Targeting Small and Medium U.S. Based Businesses (ITProPortal)
• FBI Raid Brings Arrest in Indiana Meth Case (South Bend Tribune)
• Docu-Drama Features Chandra Levy’s Murder (Fox News)
• Marijuana Outlets Raided (Spokesman Review)
• Convicted RFK Assassin Says Girl Manipulated Him (AP)
• Jury Convicts 2 and Acquits 2 in Liberia-NY Drug Case (AP)
• Ex-Bush Lawyer Faces Attempted Murder Trial For Trying to Kill Wife (AP)
• Feds Say They’ve Broken Detroit Airport Drug Ring (AP)