Corruption threatens 'soul and fabric' of U.S.: FBI

[sixmile]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B74AI20091208


'Corruption, whether in the form of crooked officials, financial fraudsters or even philandering sports stars, is tearing at the fabric of U.S. society and is the country's No. 1 criminal threat, a senior FBI agent said on Tuesday.

U.S.

Addressing businessmen in Florida, where financial fraud cases jumped by 42 percent in the last year, FBI Miami Division Special Agent in Charge John Gillies said failures in personal ethics and integrity sowed the initial poisonous seeds of corruption in a society.

Gillies said transgressions by high-profile public servants and even perceived social role models, like top golfer Tiger Woods, currently embroiled in allegations that he had extramarital affairs, sent the signal to young Americans that cheating and stealing were acceptable.

"Where do our children learn this? They see us, their elected officials, their sports stars, they see how they act and they figure, 'well it's OK,'" he said, citing the case of Woods, whose early morning car accident in Florida last month triggered a storm of media questioning of his clean-living reputation.

"Money can't buy everything," Gillies said in a speech to the West Boca Chamber of Commerce in Boca Raton, Florida.'

snip

[atreides1]

1. Can we put torture of prisoners on that list?

How about the protection of alledged war criminals? I'm sure that there's more!

[whatchamacallit]

2. Puking hard

Yeah, it's the "sex-crazed black athlete" who's ripping us apart. The FBI, which has been mired in corruption since it's inception, is a much bigger threat to "soul and fabric" of the US.

[Deja Q]

3. You know, white athletes have been hounded by the media, too.

Don't devolve this into a petty race issue.

It's a person issue.

And I hope Elin gets tested for every STD and found negative for all. She doesn't deserve it.

[whatchamacallit]

10. Stop it, I'm not defending Woods at all

I just find it ironic with a capitol "I" that, of all things, this FBI agent thinks this is one of the most destructive element we face. J Edgar lives!

[DJ13]

4. "Money can't buy everything," Gillies said

......except Congress, which is all thats needed to get everything you want.

[sixmile]

6. Therein lies the rub

The golden rule is in full effect.

[Deja Q]

5. Okay, so what can the FBI do that the rest of us can not?

I'll do my part. Which is mostly remain ethical, myself. What else can I do?

What can others do?

I'm hip. And I refuse to be cynical. Well, not beyond a certain point. :D

[Blue Owl]

7. Corruption IS the new soul and fabric of this goddamned country

Take a look around.

[Sebastian Doyle]

8. Giving a lecture on corruption in Florida would be a little like

giving a lecture on child molestation at the Vatican. Odds are your audience is made up of the very people guilty of it.

[Romulox]

9. Tax fraud by cabinet official? nt