Martha Stewart
Scooter Libby
now Michael Flynn
Did nothing provably wrong except the cops caught them in a lie.
I will never want to speak to any law enforcement people, EVER. Even to say good morning to an off duty foot patrolman.
"What's 'good' about it? Nothing! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT T-BOLT! STOP RESISTING! THIS IS PEPPER SPRAY!"
The FBI always gets their man, I guess.
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4 comments:
A nit here is your use of the slang for police, ie, municipal law enforcement. They are not federal officers. The key here is to not lie to a federal officer. Note that this includes any federal officer, they need not be 'sworn in'.
The FBI have mastered the game of interrogation, through multiple questions, often asking the same question in a different way, on a different date, with a different agent, they will 'get their man'. One trick is to call the suspect in for a 2nd interview at a much later date then read back portions of the statement previously given by the suspect. By this later date, often several months later, the agent will ask the suspect if the reading is correct. By that time the suspect may not remember his precise words and innocently say something which the agent will then regard as contrary to the suspect's original statement which was given months before.
Back to that bit about 'any' federal officer. That covers any person employed by the federal government. Yes, your mailman.
And if ever asked to show paper documents to any federal employee, do NOT hand them over. Hold on to them as you show them. If you must hand over such personal effects, state that you are not surrendering them. Here I am of the mind of commercial drivers, mariners, or aviators or at a highway checkpoint.
An acquaintance was hired to demolish an abandoned building which had a refrigeration system. By accident, a forklift 'stabbed' a tank which still held some residual liquid ammonia which caused a leak. Upon contact with the open air, the ammonia expanded into a cloud which necessitated evacuation of about 100 people in the immediate vicinity. This became a hazmat incident which was duly reported to the feds. The incident was fully contained within 3 or four hours and the evac was cancelled.
My acquaintance, as company owner, was called interviewed by the FBI. About 7 or eight months later he was again interviewed by the FBI. A different agent read back some of the previously given statements. Upon being asked if all of that was true, the owner replied that he wanted to provide clarification on a certain point since the agent's written notes were not completely correct. At that point he was arrested for lying to a federal agent.
There was a criminal trial of the fedgov prosecuting. He was also threatened with ten years incarceration. The gov's argument did not stand up and charges were dropped. By then he had spent tens of thousands of his own dollars which he would not recover.
Lesson: Each agent or officer has latitude in interpretation of events which may, nay, probably will affect your status as a free person if you ever should come into the sights of the G-men. Act wisely, say nothing. Don't get all smarmy saying things like, 'I know my rights' or some crap. Just say nothing.
So, it's ok to talk to local cops, then?
That's a good one, you got me. No, it is not okay to talk to local cops; or any person employed by any enforcement agency.
But it is not against the law to lie to a local cop.
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