FBI History

     "For most of its history, FBI operations were handled at 56 field offices. A single office was responsible for running a case. This ensured that power was diffused rather than concentrated. 

     "Mueller never served in the FBI. An FBI retiree says, 'Mueller felt like HQ knew better than anybody, and did not trust the agents on the streets. He created squads that would fly from HQ rather than use boots on the ground.' 

     "Another retiree says Mueller began hiring non-FBI agents for important functions, such as contacts with the public and congressional offices. The end result was a cultural shift. Politics became more important than real world investigative experience. 

    "James Comey in 2013 accelerated these trends. The day Comey announced Hillary Clinton would not be prosecuted was the day they knew the FBI had lost its way. The FBI investigates, and the DOJ attorneys make the decision to prosecute. 

     "President Trump fired Comey in 2017, but some say he missed an opportunity to reform the FBI when he appointed Christopher Wray. Wray had an opportunity to clean up the leadership culture, to restore trust and integrity. By any objective measure, Wray has failed. 

     "A report by a House committee lists 11 instances of alleged politicization, including the raid on Mar-a-Logo. It also lists 69 attacks on pro-life facilities."  

Tomorrow: A troubled history