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Show A4 FBI’s Freeh at Helm Of Agency Struggling Against Stormy Seas A full plate for Freeh and the FBI Several major cases have kept FBI director Louis Freeh and his organizationin the spotlight in recent years. Even eventsthat happened before his watch began have affected public perceptionof him August 1992 | Ruby Ridge, | idaho DP An 11-day BY NAl PALI BENDAVID FBI has experienced perhaps the TON — Loulé Freeh greatest series of calamities and embarrassmentsin its history. But underneath all that, a halt- WASH sat in the witness chair, his jaw diciary Committee had proceeded ing and perhaps surprising consensus seems to be emerging More and more people are concluding Freeh is defying the odds recent FBI embarrassments, senators had treated the director that has enveloped his stewardshipof the FBI tense, his eyes a cool, glassy blue. ‘The hearing before the Senate Ju nicely so far. Despite a series of and might yet weather the storm with deference. But now it Charles Gras: Considering the setbacks he has faced during his time at the helm of the bureau, political survival is the turnof Sen. R-lowa, who cultivates a hayseed image but no meanfeat for the almost comi- can be shrewd and acerbic. eally straight-arrow, socially clumsy Freeh, whose imperfect judgment and old-fashioned rec- Grassleylet loose, lashing out at Freeh and the FBI “Beyond the veneer is an ugly titude have sometimes led him culture of arrogancethat uses intimidation, disinformation, em- astray in a Washington where schmoozing is an art and gladhanding a weapon. pire-building to get what it wants,” Grassley snapped. ‘‘Se- Freeh himself, while acknowl- nior management within the FBI edging problems, says he and the FBI are correcting them. “People can do things which are at times poor judgment,” Freeh said. “People can even do things which are wrong and against the law in our organization. But the ques- puts too muchfocus onits image and budget and not enough on product. Freeh, who has heardlittle but praise throughout his career, at first appeared beleaguered But Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, came to the rescue, seeming to defend tion and the focus in those cases are, ‘What has the FBI done about this Democratic appointee against his own GOP colleague. that? Have you admitted that you made a mistake? Is this a prob- There have beena lot of cheap shots taken at the FBI over the lem, and have standoff with white separatist Randy Weaver results in the death of Weaver's wife andson. The incident raises questions about the conductof government agents April 19, 1993 Waco, Texas | } Freeh issworn ler a 51-daystandoff, the Branch in as FBI director. Davidian compound bums down, and 81 people die. The Justice Departmentfaces criticism forits handling of the situation. = April 19, 1995 OklahomaCity Murrah fed building is bombed, killing 168. The FBIis applauded forits sub| Sequent investigation which iedto the conviction of Timothy : McVeigh. duly 47, 1996 | Moriches Iniet, N.Y. July 23, 1997 Miami Beach b> TWAFlight 800 explodes, killing 230. The FBI is continuingits investigation. > Suspected spree killer Andrew Cunananis found dead. July 27, 1996 Atlanta PA bombexplodesat the SummerOlympics,killing one. The FBI is criticized for its quicktargetingof security guard Richard Jewell, who later is cleared. April 3, 1996 Lincoin, Mont Bb Unabombersuspect Ted Kaczynski SOURCE FBI captured, ter about the eighth plague. One disaster has followed an- a federalraid on the Branch Davidian compound. otherat an unremitting pace. As Last summer, it was revealed under attack for its handling of the White House had improperly received dozens of FBI files; Freeh took over, the FBI came the 1992 standoff at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, which led to the deaths of Freeh,it turned out, had had several contacts with the White the wife and son of white supremacist Randy Weaver. House security chief who ob- the bureau's performance during the 1993 siege at Waco, Texas, whenabout 80 people died during ed for botching an investigation of Another clamor ensued over tained thefiles. Then the bureau was humiliatthe 1996 bombing at the Atlanta Olympics. Knight-Ridder Tribune And just in case anyonestill had faith in the FBI, reports of wrongdoing and sloppiness . emerged earlier this year at the FB! lab, a dazzling Disney World of high-tech forensicslong considered the greatest crime lab in the world. It was not hard to conclude that agency can do in a country like that. Obviously we have rule of law and a written Constitution, but civil liberties and the protection of every American are at stake when the FBI does not meet the highest standards.” On reflection, it also seems “It's very scary,”’ Grassley said. clear that Freeh steppedinto his job at an impossibly difficult time. For one thing, virtually ev- “This is the equivalent of the KGB. You can see what a police See Next Page Freeh was inept. And manydid. dealt with it appropriately? Whenhe was swornin on Sept. past number ofyears,” Hatch, the committee chairman, said point- 1, 1993, Freeh, then a federal edly. “I personally appreciated the way you have just steadily gone ahead and done the job, regardless of the unjust criticis! judge, was widely expected to be the strongest FBIdirector since J Edgar Hoover, who died in 1972 after 48 heavy-handed years of running the agency. Freeh found himseif the subject of almost messianic hopes; here at last, many That's more or less howit’s beenfor Freeh, who hasserved as chief of our national police foree for almost four years and whose agency just concluded a success- believed, was the man whocould finally exorcise Hoover's corrupt ghost, ful high-profile manhuntforseri- But now, Freeh must have some sense of what Pharaohfelt like af- al murder suspect Andrew Cun- anan. During Freeh’s tenure, the LENNOX FURNITURE COMPANY «with a new air conditioner cooler from Granite Air Conditioning or swam Furniture! learance Sale VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE ast Oia Per Month —s 15-volt motor, 2 speed selections. #WH2902 installed* * Financed on your Mt. 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