Is there a pattern of "Leadership"? First FAMS, No

INSPECTOR GENERAL SUBSTANTIATES WRONGDOING ON PART OF FORMER ATF DIRECTOR CARL TRUSCOTT

The U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General (IG) has substantiated
wrongdoing on the part of the former Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Carl J. Truscott. The investigation began after IG Glenn A. Fine and Special Counsel Scott Bloch received an anonymous letter in January 2006 alleging that Truscott was mismanaging agency funds and creating a hostile work environment. Truscott resigned as ATF Director in August.

In the report released earlier this month, the IG found that Truscott violated a number of ethics regulations when he directed or authorized ATF employees to assist his nephew in producing a video about the agency for a high school project. The report determined that Truscott and approximately 20 ATF employees extensively assisted Truscott’s nephew with his project over a 10-month period, from providing background information to writing scripts, providing stock footage, conducting on-camera demonstrations and tours, and being interviewed.

While Truscott knew that extensive resources were being used on the project, and the Deputy Director warned him against using agency resources to help his nephew, Truscott allowed ATF’s participation in the project and never placed limits on the resources that could be used in support of the project, the report concluded. Consequently, the IG found that Truscott’s actions violated a number of ethics regulations, including those related to:
(1) the use of public office for private gain;
(2) unauthorized use of government property; and
(3) the use of subordinate’s official time.

The IG report uncovered other problems as well. While the report did not find that Truscott’s financial decisions constituted misconduct, it did conclude that he “exercised poor fiscal judgment in many instances.” In particular, the report questioned Truscott’s aggressive hiring policy and a number of expenditures concerning design changes to the new ATF Headquarters building and other construction projects. The IG was also “troubled” by the drain on ATF resources that resulted from “Truscott’s excessive use of personnel and vehicles in
connection with his security, particularly when he traveled.”

Finally, the IG stated that Truscott repeatedly failed to accept responsibility for many of his decisions, instead attempting to deflect responsibility to his subordinates, and that he failed to seek or accept the counsel of experienced ATF managers on a range of important issues.

The “Report of Investigation Concerning Alleged Mismanagement and Misconduct by Carl J. Truscott, Former Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, October 2006, can be found by clicking on

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0610/final.pdf.

And the reason you didn't post this on the ATF site is ???????????

Subject line says it all.

Subject line says it all.


Ah, but the original post didn't say that on the subject line.

:roll:

:evil: Richard T. Race, former top ranking law enforcement official at the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General at the Pentagon, in February, 2008, pleaded guilty to a one count felony information that charged him with structuring deposits to avoid detection by the IRS. In pleading guilty, he waived his rights to appeal, and had to tell the truth to the Judge. The felon admitted how he bragged to the Pentagon credit union clerk who received his illegal structured deposits over three days of more than $20,000,00, how he lied to Federal investigators on three occasions, and how he tried to get his wife involved in his lies.

Race was also a former top ranking official within the USSS Headquarters, a former USSS Inspector (the ones who make life miserable for regular employees who misbehave), and the former Vice President of the Former Agents Association.

Race was the final authority over all DoD OIG white collar crime investigations. Within the white collar, fraud investigation community, it was routine for his investigators to pursue crooks who laundered cash and who tried to avoid Federal law. A standard investigative tool used by his investigators was a routine review of Cash Transaction Reports for movements of more than $10,000.00 at one time. A CTR is a basic, well-known tool to white collar investigators.

Violations of CTR rules are viewed by the courts and the US Department of Justice as being extremely serious, and not just a minor goof. Structuring deposits to avoid detection under CTR rules is a major felony. One count exposes the guilty person to a possible 5 year jail sentence and a $250,000.00 fine. Congress viewed this violation as being so serious that it did not provide for a lesser included misdemeanor charge. If someone breaks this law, it means a felony.

In February, 2008, Race pleaded guilty to an information. Prior to sentencing, Race knew that he faced possibly nine months in jail under Federal sentencing guidelines. He scrambled and was able to contact ranking friends, most of whom only knew his version of events, not the truth. So his cronies rallied.

Former USSS cronies of Race who sent personal letters to the Judge trying to get leniency for Race from going to jail:

Tom Quinn, former USSS HQ supervisor who became the head of the Air Marshals
http://michellemalkin.com/2006/01/06/tom-quinn-resigns-good-riddance

Former USSS Director Magaw said Race has “remorse for his actions”. Really?? Is that why Race structured his deposits over three days, why he bragged to the teller about his actions, why he lied three times to the investigators over a several day period (the same guys who were desperately trying to give the felon a chance to come clean and seek the mercy of the court), committing perjury in the process, and why he refused to cooperate with U.S. Probation who prepared his presentence report after he pleaded? Remorse was never shown. http://www.nbpc.net/news/headlines/ssfactor.htm

Former USSS Director Stafford said “I do not know all the details of Rick’s mistakes”, then went on to extol Race’s “virtues”. Does a commendation come so cheaply?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31154

Former USSS HQ supervisor James E. LeGette said: “At my request, Rick volunteered to be the Vice-President” of the Former Agents Association. LeGette said: “We in the Secret Service family continue to have a very high regard for Rick”. Not true! How dare he speak for the entire organization!

Former USSS supervisor Russell C. Miller said “I can think of no higher disgrace to occur than for the government to further punish Mr. Race for whatever legal technicalities he may be guilty of having transgressed”. Perjury, obstruction of justice, and structuring of payments. Are those mere “technicalities”? Congress meant for this felony to be clear. No mistake about it.

Hypocrisy: Would these same men who supported a former ranking colleague have come to the defense of a USSS uniformed division officer or technician average special agent or who committed the same offenses? Not on your life. The same supervisors would have simply launched the inspectors and terminated the individual from the ranks. Not even blink an eye.

Behind the scenes, have these former bosses told the Former Agents Association Board of Directors to dummy up and not kick the felon out of a group who really do know about honor and trust? What ever happened to shunning?

If anyone wants the truth about the severity of this felon’s actions and how he should have been charged with three felonies (structuring, perjury and obstruction of justice) and sent to jail, go on-line to the public records available through the Federal criminal courts, Eastern District of Virginia (PACER system). The prosecutor’s pre-sentence report was especially damning towards the felon. Yet, the Judge was unfairly swayed by the former USSS cronies.

The felon is now on Federal probation. He forfeited $20,000.00 to the government and paid a minor fine. No jail time. Seriously. No jail time.

Had this crime been committed by an average, honorable USSS U/D officer or clerk, the offender would be behind bars. Hypocrisy.

America expects high ranking SESers to be the standard bearers of trust. When they brag about their felonies and show no remorse, the Judge should have thrown the book at him.

Former USSS cronies of Race who sent personal letters to the Judge trying to get leniency for Race from going to jail:

Former USSS HQ supervisor James E. LeGette said: “At my request, Rick volunteered to be the Vice-President” of the Former Agents Association. LeGette said: “We in the Secret Service family continue to have a very high regard for Rick”. Not true! How dare he speak for the entire organization!

...

Former USSS supervisor Russell C. Miller said “I can think of no higher disgrace to occur than for the government to further punish Mr. Race for whatever legal technicalities he may be guilty of having transgressed”. Perjury, obstruction of justice, and structuring of payments. Are those mere “technicalities”? Congress meant for this felony to be clear. No mistake about it.

...

Behind the scenes, have these former bosses told the Former Agents Association Board of Directors to dummy up and not kick the felon out of a group who really do know about honor and trust? What ever happened to shunning?

...

America expects high ranking SESers to be the standard bearers of trust. When they brag about their felonies and show no remorse, the Judge should have thrown the book at him.


Your bitterness is showing. Whatever hurt you are nursing - it's time to get over it.

Your characterization of those who spoke up on his behalf as "cronies" shows your prejudice.

Having people speak on your behalf in an attempt to mitigate sentencing is commonplace, not something unusual.

LeGette was obviously not "speaking for the whole organization" since he is not currently a member of the Association. The Secret Service "family" is not an organization.

Miller could have well been speaking for millions of Americans who seriously question the appropriateness of the financial transaction law. It is an egregious invasion of personal privacy. The fact that it was intended to detect major drug smugglers does not change the fact that it is a violation of personal privacy.

Do you know that the Association does not intend to expel Race from the organization? They may be trying to handle it quietly, but I doubt that they will fail to remove him.

Where do you get the allegation that he showed no remorse?

:roll:

The Bible tells us that when Joseph discovered Mary was pregnant, and he knew he wasn't the father, he "being a righteous man, and not willing to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly."

If the Bible considers it righteous to handle such matters privately, what is wrong with that?

There is no need to assemble the troops, rip the buttons off a guy's uniform and break his sword in the middle of the parade ground to accomplish his removal from the Association.

Show some Christian compassion.

Example I too am a born again Christian as I assume you are. To me there is only one person worse than a criminal and that is a criminal cop. You may forgive a former agent who broke the law knowingly and willingly and then blew smoke in the probation officer's face doing his PSI. I do not as he wrongly reflects on all upstanding law abiding law enforcement officers everywhere. The latter are truly worthy of trust and confidence, the former is not. Overkill, you need to review details regarding Mr. Race's activities in this matter. It is apparent to most that the BOD of the FAA had no intentioon to remove him from the membership of that organization. They had over five months to do so after his conviction with no action on their part. It was only after a member publicly questioned why they did not take action to remove him for an obvious violation of FAA's by-laws that they finally removed him from the roster with no notification of the members of their action. It is my understanding that the member who questioned the BOD's lack of action concerning Mr. Race and his continued membership in the FAA received a number of private emails from member(s) of the BOD of the FAA criticizing him for his audicity in requesting the BOD to fulfill their responsibilities as set forth in their bylaws.

I think you missed my point. I was not defending the (in)action of the BOD. I heartily condemn their failure to act on the required dismissal from membership AND PARTICULARLY for any private messages they may have sent to the original poster criticizing him for taking them to task for failing to act properly. That is PARTICULARLY REPREHENSIBLE!

However, I'm saying the proper course of action could have been to simply notify the offender privately that he had been stricken from the rolls of the membership and to have removed his name from the roster. They could have even posted on the message board that his name should be stricken from the members' personal copies of the membership list. The latter would have satisfied the need to take the action since the cause had previously been made public by e-mails published by (at least some of the) regional directors and on the message board as well in the media.

You see, I DO NOT think "...he wrongly reflects on all upstanding law abiding law enforcement officers everywhere." His offense is his own, not ours. In cases like this there is individual, not group, culpability.

Jesus associated with criminals (corrupt tax collectors), sinners (prostitutes) and social outcasts (Samaritans.) Paul carried Christianity to the Gentiles, who previously neither he nor Peter would associate with nor would they have a meal with. (Peter was slow to accept this until confronted by Paul.) Although I agree wholeheartedly with expelling a member convicted of a felony from association membership, I would unhesitatingly have dinner with him.

As I said, handle such matters with compassion.

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As a side note, I think that within a specified period of time after annual dues become delinquent the names of all members who have failed to pay their dues should be published in The Pipeline and if they have still not paid by the time of the next issue those who have not paid should have their names published as having been removed from membership.

l totally agree with your thoughts regarding the proper course of action by the BOD to remove Mr. Race would have been appropriate. Unfortunately this was never done and even if it had been the BOD would never ever post it on the message board. To date they have not posted on the message board or anywhere else to my knowledge the fact that his name was removed from the FAA roster. Also note that his name was removed from the roster without updating the issue date of the roster. I do not agree with your thought that his actions as a long time law enforcement official in several federal agencies by breaking federal laws and pleaing guilty to such charges somehow does not reflect on all law abiding officers. There are many in society who will look at such activities as a reflection of every law enforcement official whether you agree or not. While you are having dinner with Mr. Race you might ask him why he committed such offenses as he has never explained it publicily. Just don't invite me to the dinner. I am in total agreement with your side note re non-dues paying members. Again I do not expect to see any action by the BOD with regard to such matters.