Allan Lengel, editor of ticklethewire.com, is a veteran journalist who has covered law enforcement at major publications including the Washington Post and the Detroit News. He also served as an intern under the late investigative columnist Jack Anderson and was an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Maryland.
Law Enforcement Needs to Take On Mental Illness If It Wants to Reduce the Chances of More Mass Shootings
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — Looking at the mass shootings in the U.S. in recent years, from Tucson to Aurora, Colo. from Columbine to Oak Creek, Wisc., two things become apparent: The gunmen all had easy access to guns and they all had severe psychological problems. I won’t address the issue of the guns. Not…
Penn State Cover Up is Lesson for Institutions Including Fed Law Enforcement
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com There’s a lesson to be learned from the Jerry Sandusky-Penn State child sexual abuse scandal for institutions, including federal law enforcement agencies. The main lesson is that institutions aren’t more important than people. We’ve seen this play out so many times before. Institutions protecting their image, avoiding disgrace. We’ve seen it…
The John Edwards Case Just Didn’t Feel Right
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Some federal cases are too complicated for jurors. Some may be borderline illegal. And some may end up being a waste of taxpayer money. The trial against ex-presidential hopeful John Edwards was probably all of the above. A jury on Thursday acquitted him on one count and deadlocked on five others…
Does Secret Service Need More Rules to Make Sure Agents Don’t Hire Hookers?
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com It would seem like common sense that if you’re a Secret Service agent and you’re on the road, you shouldn’t booze it up too much and bring prostitutes back to the hotel. Well, obviously some Secret Service agents needed a little more guidance and common sense. So after the Colombia-prostitute scandal,…
Scandals Need to Vanish Quickly
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com When it comes to scandals, the best thing is to make them vanish quickly. Waiting for an Inspector General report takes far too long. In the case of the Secret Service-prostitution scandal, so far, so good. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan, a veteran of navigating Capitol Hill, has done all the…