FBI Rules out Portland Mayor's Demand For Clearance to Read Anti-Terrorism Files

Woodmonkey · 03-25-2005, 00:34

What a precedent this would set. Imagine Marion Berry in his crack cocaine heyday with a clearance and access to secret information on our WOT and Homeland Security.

Quote:

FBI rules out Potter demand on terror force

Quote:

The City Council will vote on the issue despite an agent saying no mayor has access to files

Mayor Tom Potter's push to pry open the files of federal investigations and effectively yank Portland officers from a controversial anti-terrorism task force sparked swift -- and largely polarized -- responses Wednesday.

Potter and all four city commissioners plan to approve new rules next week that would allow two Portland officers to stick with the Joint Terrorism Task Force and other federal teams if investigators agree to open their files to city leaders.

"We are doing what we think is in the best interest of our community," Potter said.

News of the request touched off dueling press conferences Wednesday at City Hall and the FBI's Portland office. Oregon's U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut weighed in also, issuing a three-page letter to the council protesting the plan.

"I believe the greatest threat to public safety is terrorism," said Robert Jordan, the FBI's top officer in Oregon.

Jordan said the conditions pushed by Potter and Commissioner Randy Leonard are "simply not feasible or reasonable." No other mayor in the country has been granted the top-secret clearance that Potter wants, he said.

Flanked by eight stone-faced law enforcement officials, Jordan told reporters the plan would "effectively mean the withdrawal" of Portland officers from the task force.

Without a compromise, it appears Portland will become the only city in the country to pull out of the anti-terror teams. There are 100 teams.

The dust-up comes less than four years after Portland police, in the shadow of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, drew national attention for refusing to help federal anti-terrorism investigations.

Portland officers have been on the task force since 1997. The team includes about 15 law enforcement agencies and dozens of officers. The task force helped arrest and convict six of the Portland Seven on charges of conspiring against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

The city's agreement with the Department of Homeland Security says the mayor and police chief can be eligible for secret clearance. They also are entitled to briefings about how Portland officers are being used. Officers on the task force have top-secret clearance.

A resolution, filed Wednesday and up for a vote next Wednesday, would demand that the police chief, mayor and city attorney be granted the same top-secret clearance as the officers on the task force. The proposal would give federal agencies 90 days to agree to the city's demands.

Jordan did offer one concession Wednesday: He's willing to allow Police Chief Derrick Foxworth to apply for top-secret clearance.

At an afternoon press conference, Potter said he wants to ensure that the council protects the rights of all Portlanders.

Oregon law limits how police can conduct investigations when dealing with illegal immigrants and people active in political, religious and social causes.

Catherine Stauffer, 36, of Northwest Portland, came to the press conference with a supportive sign saying, "Portland wants local oversight of the JTTF. Thank you Potter!"

Japanese Americans have been among the task force's most vocal opponents. The FBI's present role reminds many of them of the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II, said Scott Sakamoto, of the Japanese American Citizens League's Pacific Northwest district council. He credited Potter with listening to the community's concerns: "I have faith in our mayor."

Shahriar Ahmed, president of Bilal Mosque in Beaverton and an occasional adviser to the Portland police and the FBI, said he had mixed feelings. "If there are bad people among us, then we do need a mechanism that is robust and can find these people."

However, he said, many in the Muslim community believe they have experienced profiling by the federal government and are uneasy with the task force. "Do they really want to find the bad people?" he said. "Or do they just say they want to find the bad people and are going to harass every Tom, Dick or Harry -- or in this case every Ahmed, Muhammad or Shamim?"

But Robert King, president of the Portland Police Association, said leaving the task force would undermine officers' ability to protect Portlanders.

"The threat that's out there in the world is real," he said. "The City Council has a responsibility to take every reasonable step to protect the citizens of Portland."

Jim Jeddeloh, chairman of the Citizens Crime Commission, wondered why the city would make the move when its first job is to protect its citizens. "The only conclusion you can have is politics," said Jeddeloh, president of Portland accounting firm Perkins & Co. "If you're willing to risk the safety of your citizens for politics, what does that say about your oath of office?"

Jeddeloh said he's concerned the move would further isolate Portland "because the rest of the country doesn't feel like we do."

Joe D'Alessandro, president of the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, said the agency's research shows Portland already is known as a quirky place. Withdrawing from the anti-terrorism task force could further that reputation, a plus for some visitors, a negative for others.

"We don't want to be like anybody else," he said, "and we're not."

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JohnRN · 03-25-2005, 03:28

I'll admit outright that I'm practically speaking from ignorance, BUT (always that but, ain't it?

)

1. Why is this so bad?
2. Oregon apparently has laws that deal with how their law-enforcement works and that's what theya re trying to stick to.
3. The Mayor is concerned about his constituents. Just because the "Federal" gummint says somehting about "security", why should it be that people should 'back off' ?
4. Is the FBI normally granted this amount of secrecy or is this part of the new "anti-terror" laws?

Woodmonkey · 03-26-2005, 02:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by John.

I'll admit outright that I'm practically speaking from ignorance, BUT (always that but, ain't it?

)

1. Why is this so bad?
2. Oregon apparently has laws that deal with how their law-enforcement works and that's what theya re trying to stick to.
3. The Mayor is concerned about his constituents. Just because the "Federal" gummint says somehting about "security", why should it be that people should 'back off' ?
4. Is the FBI normally granted this amount of secrecy or is this part of the new "anti-terror" laws?

The mayor wants access to classified information minus a security clearance just because he was elected. Everyone else needs to be cleared by a background check.

JohnRN · 03-26-2005, 16:18

Ahh ok! Wonder why my blockhead couldn't make that out from the article...

Thanks Mom

AMVET91ALPHA · 03-27-2005, 21:52

That's okay, John, I found it difficult to see why this would be such a problem myself until it was put that way, then I could see it. I still happen to disagree with it..

Why don't we simply run background checks on CANDIDATES..that way it will have already been done by the time they are in office, and can carry on their duties? Imho, I think the Mayor was looking out for his constituents in this instance.

Woodmonkey · 03-27-2005, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMVET91ALPHA

Why don't we simply run background checks on CANDIDATES..that way it will have already been done by the time they are in office, and can carry on their duties? Imho, I think the Mayor was looking out for his constituents in this instance.

Why would we spend all that money, Amy? What would we do if he/she was found to be a member of al-Qaida for instance?

It is better to stick to those having the need to know and have passed the background check, IMO.