Comey: Citizens Should Have No Secrets That The Government Can’t Access

James Comey, the ultimate Universal Man, a wolf in sheep’s clothes or a chameleon? He has been a Prosecutor, Lobbyist, Hedge Fund operator, Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. For some reason, Obama felt safe enough to appoint him head of the FBI. let us take a second look at his background. This is taken from a number of my posts since 2013. First his view on spying.

The latest sign of this stealth takeover of civil rights and freedom was epitomized in recent Senate testimony by FBI Director James Comey, who voiced his objections to civilian use of encryption to protect personal data – information the government has no automatic right to obtain.

As reported by The New American, Comey testified that he believes the government’s spy and law enforcement agencies should have unfettered access to everything Americans may store or send in electronic format: On computer hard drives, in so-called i-clouds, in email and in text messaging – for our own safety and protection. Like many in government today, Comey believes that national security is more important than constitutional privacy protections or, apparently, due process. After all, aren’t criminals the only ones who really have anything to hide?

In testimony before a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee entitled “Going Dark: Encryption, Technology, and the Balance Between Public Safety and Privacy” Comey said that in order to stay one step ahead of terrorists, as well as international and domestic criminals, Uncle Sam’s various spy and law enforcement agencies should have access to available technology used to de-encrypt protected data. Also, he believes the government should be the final arbiter deciding when decryption is necessary.More over at  Zero Hedge

He voted for Carter in 1980, but in ’84, Comey: “I voted for Reagan—I’d moved from Communist to whatever I am now. I’m not even sure how to characterize myself politically. Maybe at some point, I’ll have to figure it out.”

“I had no sense whether Jim was an R or a D,” says Eric Holder Jr., who worked closely with Comey when Holder was deputy attorney general to Janet Reno in the Clinton administration—and who remains a confirmed D.

Sounds like a man with a story. Where did he start? In law. He was a partner at firm McGuireWoods, where, among other things, he successfully defended a company against claims its machinery had caused asbestos-related injuries.

And from there? From there he moved into public prosecution and eventually came to the attention of President George W Bush, who appointed him deputy attorney general of the United States in 2003. But he left after two years in the role.

To do what? Sell tanks, bombs and jets to drop them from. He joined Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s largest defence contractors, as senior vice-president. (A Lobbyist)

In 2005, Comey left law enforcement for the defense industry, joining money-in-politics powerhouse Lockheed Martin. As senior vice president and general counsel he earned more than $6 million in compensation in his last full year with the company.

And then? Dipped his toe in the world of hedge funds at Bridgewater Associates before joining the board of HSBC Holdings.

The author of this piece makes a prescient observation regarding the Comey Ashcroft relationship:

On the surface, it’s an odd pairing: Comey—who cites liberal theologian Reinhold Niebuhr as a formative influence, and who can sing along with Good Charlotte pop-punk hits—and Ashcroft, a reactionary born-again Christian who breaks into spirited renditions of biblical hymns. There’s little risk Comey will lose his sense of humor in his new job. It’s only his soul that’s up for grabs

Now we know why it was so odd.

Oh, by the way, where’s John Ashcroft today? Why he’s on the Board of Directors of Blackwater USA,which now goes by the harmless sounding name – Academi – conjuring up images of ivy-covered buildings and lounging intellectuals.

Comey and Ashcroft – Lockheed Martin and Blackwater: Defenders of our civil liberties?

Eric Holder? He is now a white-collar defense attorney at a firm that lobbies for major banks, pharmaceutical companies and defense contractors.

Other posts that add to the pot:

FBI releases Trump’s real estate investigation records from 1970’s  February 16, 2017 — bunkerville. Why now Mr. Comey? February 16, 2017??

FBI Comey got millions from Clinton Foundation Defense Contractor  September 30, 2016 – a  bit of a review of earlier posts with a different spin.

Additional Sources: Guardian  NY Mag   Open Secrets

Bunkerville: Guess where in the world Former AG Eric Holder is working?

Filed under: Government Tagged: CIA, Comey, Eric Holder, FBI, NSA, Spying, Trump