August 2013
Let Us Know What You Think About FBI Director Robert S. Mueller’s Tenure as FBI DIrector
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com With FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III about to step down, I thought it would be worth publishing comments about his tenure from readers of ticklethewire.com. Fair to say, no FBI director has oversaw more changes in recent decades than Mueller, who was forced to reorganize the bureau after the Sept….
Convicted Mobster ‘Whitey’ Bulger Complains about Trial in Letter to Old Pal
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Notorious mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger complained in recently obtained letters that his trial was a sham and “revenge for corrupting two FBI agents,” The New York Daily News reports. A week after he was found guilty of murder and racketeering, Bulger wrote a letter to his friend on Aug. 20 that…
Man Charged with Trying to Bomb Chicago Bar Accused of Trying to Kill Undercover FBI Agent
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com A teenager accused of trying to bomb a downtown Chicago bar also tried to get an undercover FBI agent killed, the Associated Press reports. From his jail cell, Adel Daoud is accused of plotting to have someone kill an FBI agent who played a role in a sting that led to this…
Justice Department Ends Long Battle with States Over Marijuana Use
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Justice Department has announced an end to challenging state laws that permit residents to use marijuana for recreation and medical use, the USA Today reports. The directive was sent to federal prosecutors nationwide. But there are conditions. The Justice Department, for example, will still go after anyone who sells pot to…
Leaked Memos: DEA Sought to Assassinate Drug Kingpin in Mexico; President Obama Opposed on ‘Moral Grounds’
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com New memos leaked by WikiLeaks shows the DEA asked the White House for permission to kill notorious kingpin and fugitive Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the Latin Times reports. The messages come from Fred Burton, vice president of intelligence and an expert on Mexican drug cartels. “If the DEA can specifically locate the…
Joint Task Force Nabs 7 Detroit Building Inspectors in Alleged Bribery Scandal
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com After high-profile corruption cases against Detroit officials, including ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a joint task force that includes the FBI announced charges Thursday against seven building inspectors accused of accepting bribes for phony inspections, the Detroit News reports. The charges stem from an FBI probe dating as far back as 2007. According to…
It Took a While, But B. Todd Jones Is the New Permanent Director of ATF
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Fair to say, it wasn’t easy getting there. But after all the political wrangling, B. Todd Jones was sworn in as the new director ATF at a ceremony Thursday at the White House. With his confirmation, Jones, who was the acting director, becomes the agency’s first permanent director in seven years….