Former FBI Agent Turned ALCU Attorney: Feds Routinely Spy on Citizens

Former FBI Agent Turned ALCU Attorney: Feds Routinely Spy on Citizens

networkworld.com

Too often, we've seen U.S. Intelligence agencies whose actions are cloaked in secrecy until someone uncovers governmental abuse that places innocent people under surveillance or on watchlists. It's truly scary to ponder how much more stays hidden. I'd love to interview an FBI agent with in-depth national security and intelligence experience, but one who would answer truthfully and believes in privacy. It is with delight that I interviewed Mike German, formerly a 16-year veteran as an FBI specia

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I'm just going to leave this here now...
What i find interesting, is how this story is exposed right after the house voted on the homeland security bill. If this is legitimate (i haven't done any investigating into the claims, or background on the ex-FBI agent) then it's pretty damning to the government.



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reply to post by Evil_Santa


INtresting article... Here is a fixed clicky for the article:

Former FBI Agent Turned ACLU Attorney: Feds Routinely Spy on Citizens


His comments about why he left though causes me to think the claim might not be completely accurate about Government spying.

What was the final straw that led you to quit the FBI and start at the ACLU?

German: I left the FBI when the DOJ Inspector General failed to investigate an FBI cover-up of a failed FBI counterterrorism investigation I reported, or protect me from official retaliation that resulted. I reported the information to Sen. Grassley and resigned. Grassley put pressure on the IG, so almost two years later the IG issued a report that showed the FBI falsified and backdated records about the case and retaliated against me for reporting it. I joined the ACLU two years later because I knew from my counterterrorism work that protecting civil liberties and keeping law enforcement accountable is what keeps America safe from terrorism and other crime.

He seems pissy because he was not taken seriously. I would like to see more detailed information from him about the incident that caused his departure. Absent that, at least to me, he just seems disgruntled and wants to use the ACLU as an effort to piss off the FBI.


Also, the next paragraph down talks about Government spying on citizens. The title of the article suggests he knew this while at the FBI. However, he maes the reference that we have been investigating" which tells me the ACLU has been investigating, and not himself or the FBI.

Eh, I can see why he's disgruntaled. He blows a whistle, and the agency punished him for it. It kind of alludes to him seeing the violations while working for the FBI and wanting to do something to combat it.

Here's a snip from his Rep's website, regarding their demand for an investigation into the matter.

Former FBI Agent Michael German spent nearly 20 years with the FBI before leaving because of the severe retaliation he suffered after exposing misdeeds within his unit.

www.judiciary.house.gov...

It looks to me like he had a right to be upset, and is now going after corruption within the system.

reply to post by Evil_Santa


Here is information that somewhat confirms the information in this story:

The Government IS out to get you!

Here is retaliation against an USDA agent for whistleblowing:
Testimony during Congressional investigation of the recall of Hallmark/Westland Meat

Apr 17, 2008 Testimony of Mr. Stan Painter, Chairman, National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals:
December 2004 Union president Stan Painter received reports from union member that SRM regulations are not uniformly enforced. Painter writes to the Assistant FSIS Administrator for Field Operation about enforcement problem. USDA responses by placed Painter on disciplinary investigation status and contacts the USDA Office of Inspector General about filing criminal charges.
SOURCE: domesticpolicy.oversight.house.gov...


Here is a story of harrassment by the government for opposing a proposed regulation.

...And so, my name became *known* to the USDA and my State Dept of Agriculture. And here is where you will see just how far they will go to prevent the 'other side' from being heard...

I purchased vendor space at a recent Horse Expo in my state.... All was fine until my State Dept of Agriculture found out that I would be there as they had purchased vendor space as well. They succeeded in having me banned from the expo because I would be a 'negative influence'!

After a week of deliberation and consultation with 3 attorneys (who are also anti-NAIS activists), the decision was made to contact the American Civil Liberties Union. I never had much use for the ACLU before but their purpose IS to protect our constitutional right and this was clearly a violation of my first amendment right to freedom of speech. Think about it, political candidates are allowed to tell their side of any issue so why should I not be allowed to tell mine? The ACLU took my case - the first one in the USA involving NAIS - and went after my State Dept of Ag.

My State Dept of Ag vehemently denied any wrongdoing. They turfed it all on the shoulders of the expo organizers, claiming that they simply asked that they be moved to another location in the expo away from me.

Technically it should have stopped there, as the ACLU does not normally go after a private corporation in matters like this. But the ACLU believed the whole story 'stunk of censorship' and did not buy the State Dept of Ag's excuse. They then had conversations with the expo organizers and a very interesting story emerged in where even names were named from my State Dept of Ag. They informed the expo organizers that I had been at a huge Farm Expo last August (Untrue as I working). They claimed that I harassed people, was rude and obnoxious and had even caused a riot to break out over NAIS! They also stated that they were 'in fear of being on the same grounds' as me for fear that I would cause another riot. Of course the expo organizers made the decision to ban me. Who wouldn't after hearing such a story from a govt agency? My first reaction was to laugh over this absolutely ridiculous 'story' then I really got angry. I was NOT at said Farm Expo but I did know people who attended. NO riot broke out!

My State Dept of Ag also provided the expo organizers with numerous e-mails that I had written about NAIS - going back an entire year. I saw these e-mails from our State Dept of Ag with my own eyes. It was then that I realized they are actually tracking me on the internet.

To make a long story short, the expo organizers were convinced by the ACLU that it was in their best interest to allow me back in.... www.horsegazette.com...

There was another report by Paul G. (via personel e-mail) where USDA? broke into his house and wiped his computer because he was helping the Amish fight a court battle against the USDA - NAIS.

Another report of government agents breaking into a car to steal records pertaining to another case involving the USDA

....They took me to their lawyers and gave him permission to give me
copies of all files. The lawyers did and I took the copies with me.

I read them as we drove. Harold and I had driven straight through
and stopped about 3 hours from Danny's and Cindi's. We did not even
eat but just got a room and went to sleep. During the
night, "someone" broke into our car and removed only the lawyer's
documents for any USDA involvement. The car was locked in the
morning but when I went to get the documents to read to Doreen they
kill order, quariteen order, other USDA docs were gone. The
research and other notes were there but not the court, USDA
documents. Now the dvd player, dvd's were in the car, some other
valuables were in the car and the notebook and envelope were there
but no documents. I had to get another copy of everything faxed
to me but they are exactly what I got right out of the lawyers hands.

To say I am mad for being invaded without a warrant and having my
private property broken into would be an understatement. It was
just to flex some muscles and inconvience me.... forums.homestead.org...

one of the most important parts of this interview is when he mentioned that with all this enormous amount of data it has become unmanageable and response time for real threats are not possible.

So not only is this invasion of privacy unecessary it also compromises national security!

reply to post by ModernAcademia

So not only is this invasion of privacy unnecessary it also compromises national security!

All the "Terrorism" crap is just that. Notice what Mikhail Gorbachev now heads: Green Cross International. This is his current fight. Al Gore and Mikhail Gorbachev battle for control of .eco domain

Remember the Bolshevik Revolution was Bankrolled by American and European Bankers.

We now have the Muslim extremists, TRAINED here in the USA - Same song different verse.

Here is an article that documents how the USA has been manipulated into war for the last hundred years. Days of Infamy

War transfers wealth into the pockets of the bankers and their friends. Without Fractional Reserve Banking war is an economic/political disaster and no leader would enter war without the possibility of annexing land and resources that will more than pay for the war.

"Terrorism" is the newest bogyman used to control the masses.

If the USA was really concerned we would have built the wall on the Mexican border. We would not have downsized the border patrol in 2009. The border patrol would not report the LOCATION of civilian border patrols to the Mexican government. (The civilians report crossings to the border patrol)

The actions of the US government telegraph loud and clear that "Terrorism" is a propaganda tool and not a reality. Bush and Saudi Prince