Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (12141)	9/20/2006 3:21:24 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 71588

Wake up and smell the coffee! These are your boys they are investigating. D.C. corruption eruption FBI forced to triple fraud probe squads to keep up BY JAMES GORDON MEEK DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON - There is so much political corruption on Capitol Hill that the FBI has had to triple the number of squads investigating lobbyists, lawmakers and influence peddlers, the Daily News has learned. For decades, only one squad in Washington handled corruption cases because the crimes were seen as local offenses handled by FBI field offices in lawmakers' home districts. But in recent years, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and other abuses of power and privilege have prompted the FBI to assign 37 agents full-time to three new squads in an office near Capitol Hill. FBI Assistant Director Chip Burrus told The News yesterday that he wants to detail even more agents to the Washington field office for a fourth corruption squad because so much wrongdoing is being uncovered. "Traditionally, a congressional bribery case might be conducted on Main Street U.S.A., but a lot of the stuff we're finding these days is here in Washington," said Burrus, who heads the FBI's criminal division. He said typical crimes involve lawmakers' illegal interactions with lobbyists and "people who have a lot of savvy about how the congressional process works and appropriations." Plus, the electronic and legislative paper trail that winds up as evidence is in Washington, as Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and ex-Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-Calif.) can attest. Ney has agreed to plead guilty to corruption charges. Cunningham was sentenced to eight years in the slammer for taking bribes. Two years ago, only 400 agents worked on public corruption cases. Now, 615 agents nationwide - including 30 in New York - are trying to nail public servants for betraying the public trust in 2,200 ongoing cases. A recent FBI search of the Alaska Statehouse was a first of its kind. In Washington, agents conducted unprecedented searches of the offices of the CIA's third-ranking executive and the House office of Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.). Both stemmed from bribery allegations. Burrus wouldn't speculate about why there is so much graft, but said, "We have to pull the whole weed up or it's just going to grow back again." Originally published on September 19, 2006 nydailynews.com

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (12141)	9/20/2006 3:22:56 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

Your tune never changes. "Why should it.......its based on facts. Only one problem, your "facts" do not comport well with the facts that the rest of the world lives by. In short you are identified as an extremist. And you're on the wrong side. "that's increasingly becoming a minority position." That is the beautiful thing. Your side is becoming an increasingly minority position. Each year more people move towards moderation from your extremist outpost and people move towards common sense ideals that conservatism represents. I hate to burst your bubble but the moderate Republicans are moving to my side. Soon there will be only you extremists in the GOP.