Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
From: [d f w] at [netcom.com]
Subject: Hand-slaps and PROMOTION for Ruby Ridge FBI Agents
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 1995 16:58:45 GMT


Scanned from the Saturday Jan 7, 1995 Orange county, (California), 
Register newspaper.

Looks like the way to promotion in the FBI is by being a
"Rambo".

DAN     [D F W] at [NETCOM.COM]

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DEPUTY FBI DIRECTOR AND 11 AGENTS DISCIPLINED 
FOR Shootout IN IDAHO

GOVERNMENT: But Director Louis Freeh
concludes that an FBI sniper killed the wife
of a white separatist by 'tragic accident.'

By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON The deputy FBI director and 11 agents were
disciplined Friday by Director Louis Freeh for "improper judgment
and neglect of duty" during a 1992 Idaho shootout. But Freeh
concluded that an FBI sniper killed the wife of a white separat-
ist by "tragic accident." 
 
Freeh dismissed no one. And despite calling for censure of acting 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Deputy Director Larry Potts, Freeh "enthusiastically" proposed 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Potts' promotion to the bureau's No. 2 job on a permanent basis.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Freeh's decisions were called "a total whitewash" by Gerry
Spence, attorney for white separatist Randy Weaver. Weaver's
refusal to surrender to federal marshals on weapons charges at
his Ruby Ridge, Idaho, cabin triggered a siege and shootouts
in which a marshal and Weaver's son and wife were killed.
"I am not ready to say the punishments are sufficient," said
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who has been pressing for action. He
wants to see if Idaho prosecutor Randall Day charges federal
agents under state law.   Potts is to be censured for failing to
read and correct what Freeh said were potentially unconstitutional 
rules of engagement given to the FBI's hostage rescue team.

Because of his rank, Potts' censure and promotion must he
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
approved by Justice Department officials  Freeh said Potts, 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
who headed criminal investigations and supervised the siege, 
failed to read the rules of engagement, in part because he had 
left headquarters after 36 hours on duty when they arrived. 

Potts' deputy Danny Coulson, now FBI chief in Dallas.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
also was censured for failing to read the rules of engagement.
 "Had they read those rules, I'm confident both Coulson and
Ports would have fixed them," Freeh said.

 Punishments for the others ranged from an oral reprimand
to written censure, transfer to new duties and suspension from
duty without pay for up to 15 days.

 The toughest penalties -- censure, suspensions and transfers
- fell on former hostage-rescue team leader Richard Rogers and
FBI Salt Lake City chief Eugene F. Glenn for Issuing orders to
shoot any armed adult in the vicinity of the cabin.