Free Congress Foundation's Notable News Now Excerpts from FCF Programming and Other FCF Projects May 28, 2001 The Free Congress Commentary FBI Director Replacement a Serious Decision for Bush by Paul M. Weyrich >From the "Endangered Liberties" Television Program This nation has managed to hang on by a thread somehow, through the prayers and hard work of good people. I cannot help but think of how close we have come to either having Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Louis Freeh stay on in his current position or be replaced by President Al Gore. What a frightening thought! I am still shaken by it. Instead, a good and decent president, George W. Bush, someone who prays for Divine guidance each and every day, someone who reads the Scriptures, someone who discusses holy things with the elect, will be making that appointment. I have spoken with Attorney General Ashcroft about the search and certainly he is of sound mind in thinking about the sort of person who needs to hold this position. First of all we are talking about a 10-year term. The FBI Director can outlast two full terms of a president. Second, the pay isn't all that great. The person is obviously going to have to be extremely dedicated and able to live with his means. The candidate we are talking about should probably know the FBI but should not be taken in by it. A lot of what has gone wrong with the FBI over the last two decades or more has to do with the bureaucratic structure. There is going to be a tendency to want to blame most of the FBI's ills on the late Director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover did a lot of things that were questionable. But he also did a not of things that were right. And he wasn't always trying to expand the powers of the FBI, which was to his credit. He kept the portfolio of the FBI narrowly focused. Consequently, the FBI acquired a reputation, and a deserved one, of getting what it went after. Today's FBI has become a sad joke. If some of these cases weren't so terribly important for national security reasons, one almost wouldn't mind seeing what went wrong analyzed by any number of the newsmagazines. All of this is to say that the president has one of the most important decisions of his presidency coming up in the next few months. In many ways this is at least as important as a Supreme Court nominee. The president needs to consult widely on this appointment. He needs to pray about it fervently. He needs, as unfortunate as this is, to have discreet discussions with the Senate, where the nomination will have to go for confirmation. This nominee needs to be someone the nation can trust. The nominee needs to be someone who can raise morale at the FBI, which is at an all-time low. This person needs to be above reproach. That is one tall order for even this president. This appointment may well determine what kind of nation we live in beyond the presidency of George W. Bush. Please, Mr. President. Give this your very best. Paul Weyrich is president of the Free Congress Foundation. For media inquiries, contact Notra Trulock 202.546.3000 / [EMAIL PROTECTED] For other questions or comments, contact Angie Wheeler [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit our website at http://www.freecongress.org This publication is a service of the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, Inc. (FCF) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Free Congress Foundation nor is it an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill. Free Congress Foundation * 717 Second Street, NE * Washington, DC 20002 * 202.546.3000 * Fax: 202.544.2819 Project Manager: Angela Wheeler * Copyright * 2001 Free Congress Foundation - All Rights Reserved.
