Ex-FBI Employee Gets Slap on the Wrist for Illegally Spying on Anti-Mueller Activist
As the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other alphabet intelligence agencies fight for the public’s respect and trust, their own agents and advocates undermine their efforts with partisan and downright Soviet tactics.
In one shocking case, a former FBI analyst was busted for illegally accessing a neighbor’s computer over activism against then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
For his crimes, he was given a virtual slap on the wrist on Friday: a week in jail and a $500 fine.
Ex-FBI employee Mark Tolson pleaded guilty in September to accessing an email account that belonged to his neighbor and Washington lobbyist Jack Burkman last year, according to Politico.
Burkman, along with agitator Jacob Wohl, was trying to gather information deemed damaging to Mueller. This attempt ultimately failed.
Tolson originally accessed his neighbor’s computer with the help of his wife, who had passwords and other account information after doing work for Burkman.
Although she took part in the crime, Tolson’s wife was not prosecuted.
After illegally gathering emails and messages from Burkman’s account, Tolson forwarded them to a media contact and later to the FBI itself. Tolson insisted that he only acted to protect Mueller.
Presiding U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, noted the seriousness of the crime.
“You can’t just rummage through other people’s accounts,” she said. “You had to have known better.”
Despite the breach of trust and the fact that the spying came at a time when intelligence agencies are facing increased scrutiny for their surveillance of Americans, Tolson was handed a light sentence.
Some accusations that the FBI spied on the campaign of then-candidate Donald Trump have been confirmed, but the gravity of the actions was brushed away by intelligence officials like James Clapper.
Many Americans don’t trust the FBI, CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies.
Broad powers used by the groups have often caught innocent citizens up in surveillance programs, and politicians are no less safe from quasi-Soviet domestic spying.
Fortunately, Tolson was caught. Although his punishment was minor, it goes to show that there are at least some checks on rogue elements.
For those of you afraid that the disgraced FBI analyst busted for snooping on a private citizen will miss time with his family during Christmas, worry not. The judge presiding over his case allowed Tolson to begin his sentence as soon as the holidays are over.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
