-Caveat Lector- http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,93950,00.html Why George W. Wanted Louis Freeh at the FBI -- and Why Louis Wants to Stay Louis Freeh was shopping for a high-paying gig at a New York law firm, says TIME Washington correspondent Elaine Shannon, but then decided to remain a dedicated G-man. BY ELAINE SHANNON DENNIS COOK/AP FILE FBI Director Freeh agrees to stay on Printable Version For months now, Topic A around the FBI water coolers has been gossip that FBI director Louis Freeh was actively job-hunting in Manhattan's high- dollar law firms. Freeh, a career public servant with six young sons, no savings and a Puritanical bent, alternately denied and encouraged rumors that he was just waiting out First Bad Boy Bill Clinton before he pulled up stakes and moved north. But this week, the Bush camp put out the word that Freeh had been asked to stay on. And Freeh let it be known that, no, he will not become a fancy partner in some white shoe Manhattan law firm, but that he intends to serve out his 10 year term, which ends in 2003. What's driving Louis? For starters, he feels strongly that the top FBI job would be politicized if it was put up for grabs with every change in administration. For another, says a friend, it's pretty simple: "He likes being Director." The lonely splendor of the Spartan but magnificently-located office seven stories above Pennsylvania Avenue is a dream job to a poor but idealistic Jersey City boy who bootstrapped his way through law school aspiring to public service like his childhood heroes, trustbuster Teddy Roosevelt and gangbuster Tom Dewey. Finally, associates say, Freeh has a lot of unfinished business. Tops on his agenda is expanding the FBI's global network of agents, allies and sources in the fight against international terrorism and transnational criminal rings. Freeh also hopes to remodel the FBI's electronic infrastructure and to beef up its ability to fight cybercrime. And, working with the Defense Department and CIA, he intends to revamp the federal counter-intelligence effort to confront spying by traditional competitors, China and Russia, as well as "friendly" competitors such as Taiwan. What does Bush see in Freeh? Possibly a counterweight to Attorney General- nominee John Ashcroft, who is backed by certain libertarian-conservatives who are deeply skeptical of all government power and are determined to rein in the FBI's power to conduct wiretaps and cyber-surveillance of suspects. Freeh is classic lawn-and-order guy and appeals to mainstream Republicans more worried about terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime than government snooping. Also, even though he was persona non grata around the Clinton White House for his support of an independent counsel on campaign fundraising, the fact that he was appointed by a Democratic President may bring a tinge of bipartisanship to the Bush national security team. Freeh and his circle made no secret of their active antipathy toward Bill Clinton personally and the Clinton White House, and White House aides complained loudly and publicly that they'd just love to dump Louis. Yet, for the incoming Bush team, Freeh was a Clinton appointee and so retained a whiff of Democratic party sanction. In the long run, of course, Bush needs a new William Webster — righteousness incarnate, a man who can go on television and inspire and reassure people that he, and by extension the administration, will always do the right thing. In an era of good news — falling crime rates and dipping drug use figures — Clinton hasn't had anybody to put on the Sunday talking head shows to grab credit. Louis wouldn't do it. Janet wouldn't do it. McCaffrey would, but nobody wanted him. Ashcroft may serve that function for Bush, or he may be viewed as too much of a pol, in which case Bush would be well served to go for a more charismatic FBI director a couple of years from now. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: *Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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