FBI Pushes For FBI Space Legislation: Congress Appears Receptive

One of the first matters that will confront Republican Speaker Paul Ryan in Congress is the request by Director James Comey for FBI Space Legislation. Ryan has not mentioned how he stands on this bill but pressure from the 35,000 members of the FBI along with its powerful ex-agent association will certainly be put on his to expedite the matter. Director Comey has labeled this a top priority and has sent the members of his Congressional liaison staff to the office of each Congressman to urge them to pass the bill.

You may think this has to do with FBI drones.  The FBI at last report had 17 drones in operation. Plans are on to expand the drone program to each of its 56 offices. To do that the FBI which now has only two drone operatives will need an additional 120 new agents and at least 56 drones. Some suggest that is the reason behind Director Comey’s warning of a Halloween attack by the National Liberation Militia and telling of his feelings that police are not properly performing their jobs because of increased public awareness of their actions is to frighten the American people into demanding Congress give the FBI more funds to keep us safe.

Or you may think it relates to the FBI air force.  It is known to have at least fifty (50) airplanes that it routinely uses for surveillance. AP reported it :” identified more than 100 flights in 11 states over a 30-day period since late April, orbiting both major cities and rural areas. At least 115 planes, including 90 Cessna aircraft, were mentioned in a federal budget document from 2009.”

You would be wrong if you thought it related to either the air force or the drones. It relates to personal space; that is, the space claimed by an FBI agent.

The idea for this legislation came about after an FBI agent said: “I’m in my capacity 24 hours a day. You want to put your hands on me, you want to threaten me, that’s fine. If you step in my personal space, that’s an assault.”  

This agent Gerald Rogero, 46, an agent for nearly 20 years who serves as a chief in the FBI’s counterterrorism division. was chastising a child’s father who was exchanging custody of a girl with its mother for showing up late. A report continues the story: “At this point, the 15-year-old boy, wearing a red sweatshirt, walked up close to Rogero, standing about 18 inches away. It was unclear on the video what he said. During the trial, Rogero would testify that the teenager used vulgar terms to say he was about to attack. Rogero suddenly struck the teenager with the heel of his hand, sending him reeling backward. The agent turned to someone else. “You going to get in front of my face?” he said.He turned back to the teenager, who had gotten to his feet. “You’re under arrest,” he said. “You’re under arrest right now.” Rogero tried to get him to the ground. “If I have to shoot you, I will,” he told the boy. “Don’t make me shoot you.” The two wrestled, and the teenager’s hands — perhaps inadvertently — went near Rogero’s ankle-holstered gun under his pants leg. The agent shook off the youth, reached down, pulled out his gun, pointed it at the teenager and ordered him to the pavement.”

It is expected Director Comey will push for legislation making it a 20 year felony for anyone to step into an FBI agent’s personal space and provide total immunity from both civil and criminal consequences to any FBI agent who shoots someone who enters his space.  It is especially important to the FBI to do this to  hold on to its record of 100% justified shootings by its agents.

As for FBI record keeping, it is reported: “FBI vastly understates police deaths in chases.” It has counted only 24 police officer deaths since 1980 while public records show more than 370 officers killed – 15 times the number the FBI reported. Perhaps that is how the FBI can find all the shootings by its agents were justifiable. It did not count the ones that weren’t.