FBI Retaliates Against Whistleblower

By John Semmens

This week, FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, a respected 12-year veteran of the FBI, was suspended, his badge and firearm confiscated, and was escorted out of the building after he complained about some of the Agency’s actions. His complaint to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz cited multiple violations of FBI policy including the falsification of data, use of excessive force against non-violent subjects accused of misdemeanor offenses, and political bias against conservatives.

“I didn’t like the idea of sending heavily-armed SWAT teams on dawn raids of persons suspected of what, at best, would be misdemeanor offenses,” Friend explained. “I suggested alternatives such as the issuance of a court summons or utilizing surveillance groups to determine an optimal, safe time for a local sheriff’s deputy to contact the subjects and advise them about the existence of the arrest warrant. For this I was told I was a ‘bad teammate.’”

FBI Director Christopher called Friend “the kind of mole that must be rooted out and removed from having access to sensitive government operations. His challenge to orders that he considers ill-conceived is a threat to the Agency’s morale. The smooth functioning of the FBI relies on immediate obedience to the directives of one’s superior officers. We can’t fight the enemies of democracy very effectively if we harbor one of them in our midst. Friend’s claim that many other field agents share his views shows that there is a conspiracy of disloyal Americans that have infiltrated our Agency. His refusal to name names constitutes obstruction of justice. Being ousted from his job is just the beginning of the troubles he will experience in the near future.”