Is the FBI Setting Up the ‘One Bad Apple’ Defense?

 

Via Instapundit I just saw this news piece.

Former Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge Tim Thibault was reportedly escorted out of the Bureau’s headquarters on Friday, amid whistleblower allegations that he showed political bias in his handling of politically sensitive investigations.

The Washington Times reported eyewitness accounts that “Mr. Thibault was seen exiting the bureau’s elevator last Friday escorted by two or three ‘headquarters-looking types.’”

Whistleblowers alleged that Thibault concealed the partisan nature of evidence from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland to secure their approval to open an investigation into former President Donald Trump. That investigation culminated in the FBI’s raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month.

It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey, et al., didn’t know what was going on.  Nevertheless, if true, this event suggests they think they’ve found a way to “credibly” attempt to pin it all on one “one bad apple”.  Or at least enough Kabuki to give a fig leaf to the Dem-Press’ attempt to defuse the 50%+ of the electorate that now believes the FBI is a partisan actor for the DC Democrats.  SA Thibault takes one for the team and gets his retirement.

What do you think?

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  1. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    No Caesar: SA Thibault takes one for the team and gets his retirement.

    That’s so cynical.

    I approve.

    • #1
  2. No Caesar Thatcher
    No Caesar
    @NoCaesar

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    No Caesar: SA Thibault takes one for the team and gets his retirement.

    That’s so cynical.

    I approve.

    Thanks.  I should add: “…gets his retirement on Epstein’s island”.  

    • #2
  3. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    Except they never really take one for the team.  Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind.  Sandy Berger should have done time.  Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.  

    • #3
  4. No Caesar Thatcher
    No Caesar
    @NoCaesar

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    • #4
  5. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    You get a public slap on the wrist, and your supervisors will frown about you.

    • #5
  6. Stina Member
    Stina
    @CM

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    THAT’S what the Clinton Foundation is for! Mind Blown.

    • #6
  7. Terry Mott Member
    Terry Mott
    @TerryMott

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    • #7
  8. EODmom Coolidge
    EODmom
    @EODmom

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    They knew. 

    • #8
  9. Terry Mott Member
    Terry Mott
    @TerryMott

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    They knew.

    I agree they more than likely knew.  However, when they claim to not have known, they should be fired for incompetence. Of course they won’t be fired, or even inconvenienced.  But every conservative with a platform should be pointing out that admitted incompetence, just for the record.

    • #9
  10. No Caesar Thatcher
    No Caesar
    @NoCaesar

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    They knew.

    I agree they more than likely knew. However, when they claim to not have known, they should be fired for incompetence. Of course they won’t be fired, or even inconvenienced. But every conservative with a platform should be pointing out that admitted incompetence, just for the record.

    Good point.  Make them work for plausible deniability = incompetence.  

    • #10
  11. No Caesar Thatcher
    No Caesar
    @NoCaesar

    Stina (View Comment):

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    THAT’S what the Clinton Foundation is for! Mind Blown.

    Yup

    • #11
  12. namlliT noD Member
    namlliT noD
    @DonTillman

    Stina (View Comment):

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    THAT’S what the Clinton Foundation is for! Mind Blown.

    Most non-profits, it seems. 

    • #12
  13. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    It is possible that their polling tells them they shouldn’t have staged a so obviously political raid. They have to find cover somewhere. How close was this loser to retirement anyway? He may have volunteered to take the heat. 

    • #13
  14. Terry Mott Member
    Terry Mott
    @TerryMott

    Django (View Comment):

    It is possible that their polling tells them they shouldn’t have staged a so obviously political raid. They have to find cover somewhere. How close was this loser to retirement anyway? He may have volunteered to take the heat.

    I’d guess that they convinced themselves that they’d find a proverbial smoking gun during the raid that would justify the brazenly political aspect of it.  Once they had all the documents, oops.  Nothing here.

    Now they’re panicking.  They’ve trashed the already-tattered reputation of the DOJ and have nothing to show for it.  Time to find a scapegoat.  Thibault was probably the guy who put together the case that they were basing their delusions on, so he gets sacrificed.

    If this shakes out how it seems to be, I fully expect an eventual speech from Garland taking full responsibility while not actually taking any responsibility, like Janet Reno did after Waco.

    • #14
  15. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    It is possible that their polling tells them they shouldn’t have staged a so obviously political raid. They have to find cover somewhere. How close was this loser to retirement anyway? He may have volunteered to take the heat.

    I’d guess that they convinced themselves that they’d find a proverbial smoking gun during the raid that would justify the brazenly political aspect of it. Once they had all the documents, oops. Nothing here.

    Now they’re panicking. They’ve trashed the already-tattered reputation of the DOJ and have nothing to show for it. Time to find a scapegoat. Thibault was probably the guy who put together the case that they were basing their delusions on, so he gets sacrificed.

    If this shakes out how it seems to be, I fully expect an eventual speech from Garland taking full responsibility while not actually taking any responsibility, like Janet Reno did after Waco.

    SOP: Take full responsibility, then say, “It’s time to move on” before anyone stops and realizes that there were no consequences for anyone involved. 

    • #15
  16. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    They knew.

    and they are incredibly incompetent.

    • #16
  17. Victor Tango Kilo Member
    Victor Tango Kilo
    @VtheK

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):
    You get a public slap on the wrist, and your supervisors will frown about you.

    Then CNN offers a high six figure contract as an “analyst,” and you sell your memoirs for seven figures.

    • #17
  18. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Victor Tango Kilo (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):
    You get a public slap on the wrist, and your supervisors will frown about you.

    Then CNN offers a high six figure contract as an “analyst,” and you sell your memoirs for seven figures.

    FBI official transferred after whistleblower allegations of political bias, senator reveals | Just The News

    • #18
  19. Victor Tango Kilo Member
    Victor Tango Kilo
    @VtheK

    Did hell just freeze over? Andrew “Merrick Garland is a fine man and a patriot the DOJ is in good hands” McCarthy wrote a moderately critical article on the FBI.

    The bureau can still be a valuable force for good, but not if we close our eyes to its very real, serious flaws.

    • #19
  20. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    And what’s the over/under that Andy McCarthy will fall for this, again?

    • #20
  21. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Victor Tango Kilo (View Comment):

    Did hell just freeze over? Andrew “Merrick Garland is a fine man and a patriot the DOJ is in good hands” McCarthy wrote a moderately critical article on the FBI.

    The bureau can still be a valuable force for good, but not if we close our eyes to its very real, serious flaws.

    Andy is part of DoJ’s rear guard. His job is to pretend to take them to task, and to “Tsk! Tsk!” in quietly-regime-friendly outlets.

    • #21
  22. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Stina (View Comment):

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    THAT’S what the Clinton Foundation is for! Mind Blown.

    Except that Hilary won’t share.

    • #22
  23. DonG (CAGW is a Scam) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a Scam)
    @DonG

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    I think Twitter, Inc, is now the landing pad for corrupt FBI agents.  Some of them have to be there run the censoring anyway.

    • #23
  24. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    I just hope the depression doesn’t get to him in jail such that he hangs himself next to the disabled cameras. 

    • #24
  25. Terry Mott Member
    Terry Mott
    @TerryMott

    TBA (View Comment):

    I just hope the depression doesn’t get to him in jail such that he hangs himself next to the disabled cameras.

    You and me both.

    I started to post earlier, “For the record, Thibault didn’t kill himself,” but got distracted doing something pseudo-productive instead.

    • #25
  26. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    I just hope the depression doesn’t get to him in jail such that he hangs himself next to the disabled cameras.

    You and me both.

    I started to post earlier, “For the record, Thibault didn’t kill himself,” but got distracted doing something pseudo-productive instead.

    Trying to be productive is a rookie mistake. 

    • #26
  27. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Terry Mott (View Comment):

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey et al, didn’t know what was going on.

    Either they knew, or they are incredibly incompetent.

    They knew.

    I agree they more than likely knew. However, when they claim to not have known, they should be fired for incompetence. Of course they won’t be fired, or even inconvenienced. But every conservative with a platform should be pointing out that admitted incompetence, just for the record.

    Good point. Make them work for plausible deniability = incompetence.

    • #27
  28. Taras Coolidge
    Taras
    @Taras

    Barfly (View Comment):

    Victor Tango Kilo (View Comment):

    Did hell just freeze over? Andrew “Merrick Garland is a fine man and a patriot the DOJ is in good hands” McCarthy wrote a moderately critical article on the FBI.

    The bureau can still be a valuable force for good, but not if we close our eyes to its very real, serious flaws.

    Andy is part of DoJ’s rear guard. His job is to pretend to take them to task, and to “Tsk! Tsk!” in quietly-regime-friendly outlets.

    Interestingly, Andy McC. wrote about Tim Thibault’s interesting social media presence back in June:

    https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/what-the-hell-has-happened-to-the-fbi-chapter-342872/

     

    • #28
  29. Taras Coolidge
    Taras
    @Taras

    DonG (CAGW is a Scam) (View Comment):

    No Caesar (View Comment):

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    Except they never really take one for the team. Lois Lerner should still be in jail with Peter Strzock and his girlfreind. Sandy Berger should have done time. Clinesmith didn’t even get disbarred.

    In the Deep State case “taking one for the team” means early retirement and a quiet pay-off from some Dem-financed slush fund.

    I think Twitter, Inc, is now the landing pad for corrupt FBI agents. Some of them have to be there run the censoring anyway.

    When the Clinton “family” had to make sure Webb Hubbell was “taken care of” so he wouldn’t be tempted to make a deal with Ken Starr while he was in prison, the Clinton White House simply called up billionaire supporters and asked them to throw some no-show jobs his way.  So the year before he went to prison, he made $1 million, more than he had ever made before — and he kept his mouth shut.

    Plausible deniability all around.

    • #29
  30. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    No Caesar:

    It strains credulity that Wray and Garland, never mind Comey, et al., didn’t know what was going on. Nevertheless, if true, this event suggests they think they’ve found a way to “credibly” attempt to pin it all on one “one bad apple”.

    You might be on to something here.  I thought the same thing about Brandon when the White House Spokeswoman declared ludicrously that Slo Joe wasn’t informed about the raid, and even more ludicrously that he had not been apprised about the top secret documents found at Mara Lago.  (Does he get any briefings at all?)  Brandon  seems to be purposely trying to make it look like he had nothing to do with this, just in case they don’t find anything and it all backfires.

     

    • #30
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