Fergie's Tech Blog

Bush Budget Snubs FBI's Crime Squads

Paul Shukovsky and Daniel Lathrop write in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Despite a powerful surge in bank robbery, mortgage fraud and white-collar crimes, the Bush administration's 2009 budget leaves an already handicapped FBI criminal program without the agents it needs to respond -- a shortcoming acknowledged by top FBI officials.

It's the latest chapter in the administration's terrorism trade-off -- a continuing trend of cannibalizing agents and resources from traditional crime squads to fight terrorism instead of spending enough money to do both.

President Bush's proposed budget doesn't add a dime to reinforce agents in the FBI's crime-fighting squads, which remain at least 1,700 agents below pre-9/11 levels, according to a Seattle P-I analysis.

But even partially restoring the FBI's crime-fighting capabilities isn't a priority, White House Deputy Budget Director Steve McMillin said Friday.

posted by Fergie @ 5/18/2008 10:09:00 PM