Former FBI Director James Comey, via FBI.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Former FBI Director James Comey appears to be the target of a Justice Department investigation into a years-old leak of classified Russian intelligence.

Federal prosecutors are trying to determine whether Comey unlawfully providing classified information to reporters, The New York Times reports.

This is the second DOJ investigation examining leaks potentially involving Comey, whom President often calls a “leaker.” Trump recently suggested, without evidence, that Comey should be jailed for “unlawful conduct.”

The second investigation is odd because it’s unusual for prosecutors to launch a probe into leaked classified information years after the fact.

The investigation appears to involve classified information about Russia that was written about by the New York Times and Washington Post in 2017.

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh, via FBI.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

A heath care company has hired former FBI Director Louis Freeh to investigate financial wrongdoing in hopes of restoring investor confidence after its shares plummeted in December.

The value of the NMC Health Plc’s shares fell sharply after short seller Muddy Waters Capital laid out allegations of financial wrongdoing in a Dec. 17 report against the hospital operator.

The allegations, which the company originally called “unfounded, baseless and misleading,” suggested the company overpaid for its assets, understated debt, inflated cash balances and failed to properly disclose potential conflicts of interest, Bloomberg reports.

NMC created an independent committee to investigate the allegations last month.

“The committee chose Freeh Group to provide a completely independent, unbiased, comprehensive and transparent report that will address all of these allegations,” Jonathan Bomford, chairman of the committee, told Bloomberg.

Freeh, who also was a federal judge, led the FBI from 1993 to 2001. His company, Freeh Group International Solutions LLC, is a risk-management firm that includes accountants, former law enforcement officials, and compliance and security experts.

5-year-old Belgian Malinois, Bulder.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Bulder wasn’t just any dog.

The Belgian Malinois was one of the best Border Patrol K-9s the agency ever had.

Bulder was killed last month during a shootout that occurred as agents tried to execute a search warrant at a home in El Paso.

“Patrol K-9 Bulder was one of the best canines we’ve ever had in our program. The proficiency that we saw from that dog is unrivaled from any other dog I’ve seen in my time and experience in the unit,” Kevin Vicini, BORTAC Team Leader in its K-9 section, said during a ceremony for the dog on Wednesday, KTSM9-TV reports.

The 62-year-old suspect who killed the dog out in a shootout was fatally shot with return fire.

Guns seized at US airports, via TSA

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

The TSA seized more firearms at airports in 2019 than any year in its 18-year-history.

TSA officers discovered 4,432 guns in carry-on and checked bags at checkpoints nationwide, a 5% increase over 2018, the TSA announced in a news release.

“The continued increase in the number of firearms that travelers bring to airport checkpoints is deeply troubling,” David Pekoske, the TSA’s administrator, said.

“There is a proper way to travel safely with a firearm. First and foremost, it should be unloaded. Then it should be packed in a hard-sided locked case, taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared, and checked.”

Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) ranked first among the nation’s airports with 323 firearms confiscated. DFW International Airport came in second with 217 guns confiscated. Denver International Airport (DEN), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) rounded off the top five.

All travelers, apart from law enforcement, are barred from bringing guns in airplanes, though firearms may be stored in checked luggage if all local, state and federal gun laws are followed.

Former National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

President Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn wants to withdraw his guilty plea to lying to the FBI during the special counsel investigation into Russian interference, his lawyers said in a court filing obtained by Reuters.

Flynn’s change of heart comes after federal prosecutors reversed course and called for up to six months in prison for Flynn, the only member of the Trump administration to plead guilty in the Robert Mueller probe.

The prosecutors called for the stiffer sentence after Flynn began arguing that prosecutors violated his rights.

Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about interactions with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.

Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Carla Provost, the first woman to lead the U.S. Border Patrol and one of the longest serving members of President Trump’s administration, is about to step down.

The 50-year-old planned to retire in December but stayed on amid infighting over her replacement, The Washington Examiner first reported.

Provost, who began her career with the agency in 1995, became acting chief in April 2017 until the post was made permanent in August 2018. Her leadership came at one of the most contentious times for the Border Patrol, which continues to come under immense fire for its handling of families of undocumented immigrants.

Her replacement will be Rodney Scott, a 27-year agent who was serving as acting deputy chief since October.

Terry Wade

By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com

Terry Wade has been named the executive assistant director of the Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch at FBI headquarters. He’ll oversee  criminal and cyber investigations worldwide as well as international operations, critical incident responses, and victims assistance.

Wade, who has served as the assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division, joined the FBI in 1996 and was first assigned to the Helena Resident Agency in Montana. He later transferred to the Oklahoma City Field Office, working violent crime, drugs cases, and white-collar crime, the FBI said in a press release.

In 2001, he was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Criminal Investigative Division at headquarters. In 2003, he headed west where he was named supervisory special agent of the Flagstaff Resident Agency of the Phoenix Field Office.

In 2007, he was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cyber, and intelligence programs at the Albuquerque Field Office.

In late 2008, he began serving as deputy on-scene commander in Baghdad.  In 2013, he was promoted to section chief of the Employee Development and Selection Program in the Human Resources Division.  In 2014,  he was named the special agent in charge of the Criminal Division in Los Angeles and returned to headquarters the following

A short time later, he was name special agent in charge of the Albuquerque office.

A few years later,  he was named the assistant director of the Inspection Division at Headquarters.  He was appointed assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division in 2019.