FBI tries to place informant in Portland City Hall

[pdxmom]

"Portland Mayor Tom Potter fired off an open letter online today to city residents, complaining that an agent with the FBI tried to convince a city employee to act as an informant for the agency.

Potter wrote that he was disturbed by a May 11 incident in which a special agent with the FBI stopped the employee and showed her his badge and identification. The agent, Potter alleges, asked the employee if she knew any City Council members and wondered if she would be interested in passing information on to the agent."

<snip>

"Special Agent Beth Anne Steele, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Portland office, said such practices are common across the nation. She said the FBI “strongly” disagrees with Potter’s version of how significant the incident was.

“To be effective, (the FBI) relies on the assistance of those who also live and work in those communities,” Steele said. “It is entirely proper for an FBI agent to ask willing citizens to provide information when those citizens feel it is appropriate to do so regarding potential criminal conduct – whether that information involves a bank robbery, kidnapping, public corruption or other crime.”



http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/oregonian/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_oregonian_news/archives/2006_05.html#144310


Un-freakin'-believeable!

[Sanity Claws]

1. All liberal cities should take note

Why would the FBI be interested in Portland? Because it's liberal. Seattle and other liberal cities should take note and prepare itself for this kind of crap.

[pdxmom]

3. We also refused to play with Homeland Security and the Joint

Terrorism Task Force. Portland is definitely not Bushco's favorite city.

[MissB]

5. That's why they call us "Little Beirut".

[babylonsister]

2. Recommend for exposure and outrage. Jeeze, such practices

are common? Since when?

[heartofthesiskiyou]

8. Since about 1968

[babylonsister]

10. Why? I'm to believe the FBI doesn't have anything better to do

than infiltrate themselves and snitches into local city hall politics? If it's true, I'd imagine they could find better things to do, no?:think: Or maybe that's part of the problem.

[rpgamerd00d]

4. (insert typical DU over-reaction to a non-story here...)

[acmejack]

7. I agree comrade, if they are toeing the Party line they have no reason

to be upset! Only collaborators and anarchists would have reason to object to the presence of Party informants in their midst. As long as they watch what they say and what they do, as they have been directed by higher authority, they have nothing to fear from this Administration.

[nashville_brook]

12. maybe gamerdood misunderstood... FBI spying on local govts... HELLO?

non-story? wow. maybe i read his post wrong. nope. 'typical DU over-reaction..." hmmm. strange days, indeed. or, indood.

[rpgamerd00d]

14. God forbid the FBI actually do their job...

:eyes:

[eeyore]

6. Tom Potter rocks!

For those who don't know, Potter was at one time the Police Chief here in Portland. To have a an ex-cop mayor who is anti-informant and against Homeland Security influence is pretty amazing. He believes in our civil liberties, and isn't afraid to stand up when he thinks our rights are being infringed upon.

I love my city.

[libpunkmom]

9. Portland Rocks!! We have

to be one of the most hated cities by the Bushies!!
Everyone I know wears our "Little Beirut" title
with pride!!! Keep Portland Weird and FREE!!!!

[rucky]

11. and they admit they do it all the time.

disturbing, but not surprising.

[Zodiak]

13. Perhaps the FBI is saturating Democratic circles

trolling for any corruption of Democrats to shout about far and wide before the election of 2006. Gotta protect those Abramoff Republicans.

Jefferson might have only been the first salvo.