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I worked as an FBI counterintelligence agent for twenty years and loved the challenge of being a spy catcher. However, when I was offered the position of spokesperson for the FBI in Northern California, I jumped at the chance. It felt like the next step in professional development.
I felt empowered because I could draw the media’s attention to my colleagues’ good work and how they kept the public safe. Nothing irritates those in the trenches as watching the ridiculous way the FBI is portrayed in movies, TV, and books. No, FBI agents are not rogue supervillains who operate above the law and abuse the civil rights of citizens, nor are they superheroes who beat the bad guys into submission.
The FBI operates within the laws of the Federal Government, with judicial oversight. As the spokesperson, I could give people a reality check on how the FBI does its job.
I didn’t count on two things. First, the media is not interested in good news stories. Instead, they prefer stories that point out how FBI agents could have done better or how they messed up.
Second, most of my colleagues had no desire to share their successes with the media. Many resisted my attempts to get them interviewed about their cases, and a few went so far as to “report” me to the Special Agent in…
