By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Every day, thousands of federal law enforcement agents wake up, grab their gun and badge and a cup of java, orange juice or tea and go out into the world to protect the public and enforce the laws. Unfortunately, every year, a few step over the line — way over the…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Thomas E. Brandon, the straight-shooting, well respected and extremely able veteran of ATF, who was sent around the country this year to try and mend some of the agencies pressing problems, has been named ticklethewire.com’s Fed Of The Year for 2011. Brandon, an ex-Marine who is currently ATF’s number two person…
Rex Tomb served in the FBI from 1968 until his retirement in 2006. For most of his career he served in the Office of Public Affairs, retiring as Chief of its Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit. By Rex Tomb for ticklethewire.com About a year ago I received a telephone call from my former…
By KEN ACKERMAN EDGAR BOARDED THE OVERNIGHT TRAIN on Tuesday, April 6, 1920, carrying a suitcase with a few notes and a change of clothes. It took ten hours to reach Boston from Washington, and he used the time sitting alone to read, think, and steal a few hours’ sleep. The next morning, he stepped…
By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com There has been an avalanche of opinions voiced by ex-FBI agents and current ones over the film “J Edgar” and his portrayal as being gay. Now, some Gay rights advocates are weighing in. “I don’t know specifically why current officers object to the claim that Hoover was gay,” Jacob Appel, a…
By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com Chatty ex-Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich may have gotten an added stretch of freedom when a federal judge in Chicago decided this week to delay his Oct. 6 sentencing date. But legal observers are convinced the reprieve is only temporary and that he’ll get some serious prison time. Predictions range from 8…
Anthony Riggio is a former lawyer who went on to work for the FBI for 24 years. He held a number of posts during that time including assistant special agent in charge of the Detroit office. He retired in 1995 as a senior executive at FBI headquarters. His column is in response to a ticklethewire.com story about…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Paul Lindsay, the hard-digging FBI agent who became a prolific author, and wrote seven novels — the last two of which were N.Y. Times best sellers — died peacefully Thursday night at a Boston hospital of pneumonia with his family by his side. He was 68. The ex-Marine, who friends kidded…
