Headline Archives |
||||
THE FBI AND THE MEDIA The Importance of Transparency |
||||
05/16/08 | ||||
Watch video excerpts of the speech We consider the press a vital part of our success and actually welcome the scrutiny it provides, FBI Director Robert Mueller said during a speech on Friday at the National Press Club in the nation’s capital. Recognizing the “inherent tension between the government and the media,” the Director called that tension "one of the positive aspects of an open and free society.” “We [in the FBI] recognize that if we are to be successful as a global intelligence and law enforcement agency, we must be as transparent as possible,” Mueller said. “We welcome scrutiny from Congress, the American public, and the press. Yes, this scrutiny is sometimes painful. But in the long run it does make us better…” One recent example: Last year’s identification by the Justice Department Inspector General of deficiencies in our use of National Security Letters. While noting the importance of these investigative tools as “building blocks in our ability to prevent terrorism attacks,” Mueller said the Bureau has taken a series of corrective actions in response, including creating a new office to ensure compliance not only in national security activities but in all FBI activities. Mueller also mentioned several ways that the press and media have helped the FBI catch crooks since the Bureau was created a century ago:
Mueller also talked about the FBI’s constant work to ensure the security of the nation even as it protects the civil liberties of every man, woman, and child in the country. “In the end,” he said, “if we in the FBI safeguard our civil liberties but leave our country vulnerable to terrorist attack, we have lost. If we protect America from terrorism but sacrifice our civil liberties, we have also lost. Every day, the men and women of the Bureau must strike this balance.” For more information: |