Off-Topic Breaking the public Trust

BlastUla

Stanford Slacker
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So, isn’t suing the FBI for a billion dollars actually suing taxpayers (us) for a Billion dollars? This is a money grab. If it’s not, then sue for way less money and make your point. The monetary value doesn’t hurt the FBI, it hurts the US taxpayers. Most of the people paying for this settlement/award will be innocent people who earn less in their lifetime than what these women have already been awarded in recompense for their suffering. Some statistics note that 1/3 US women have suffered abuse by the time they’re college age; hence the me-too movement. There are also men who suffer abuse as children and adults. Now, a lot of these abused innocent people will pay taxes to help pay off millionaires who have made their case heard, received the public support and sympathy, and still want more. In case I missed something and all of this money is going to be slotted for charities that help abused people, then I apologize for being out of line.
 

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While I understand the emotion behind the OP's argument, the FBI has effed up way too many times, it has become a political tool, so I agree with the rest of the posters.
 
While I understand the emotion behind the OP's argument, the FBI has effed up way too many times, it has become a political tool, so I agree with the rest of the posters.
I mean you’re right about the FBI, but it’s not even about that. In this country when you can’t hold someone legally accountable, and they won’t hold themselves accountable, you hold them financially accountable. It’s very common. I was surprised it took them this long to announce a lawsuit.
 
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While I understand the emotion behind the OP's argument, the FBI has effed up way too many times, it has become a political tool, so I agree with the rest of the posters.
Exactly… the government has formed into Voltron where entities like FBI, CDC, etc are headed by and basically the arms and legs of the executive branch. There used to be a day when they were all mostly non partisan. Not sure we can ever get back to that, but it’s needed for sure
 
So, isn’t suing the FBI for a billion dollars actually suing taxpayers (us) for a Billion dollars? This is a money grab. If it’s not, then sue for way less money and make your point. The monetary value doesn’t hurt the FBI, it hurts the US taxpayers. Most of the people paying for this settlement/award will be innocent people who earn less in their lifetime than what these women have already been awarded in recompense for their suffering. Some statistics note that 1/3 US women have suffered abuse by the time they’re college age; hence the me-too movement. There are also men who suffer abuse as children and adults. Now, a lot of these abused innocent people will pay taxes to help pay off millionaires who have made their case heard, received the public support and sympathy, and still want more. In case I missed something and all of this money is going to be slotted for charities that help abused people, then I apologize for being out of line.

Background: Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told local FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar. The FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan (he was a doctor at MSU), according to the Justice Department’s inspector general. Nassar wasn't arrested until later in 2016 during an investigation by (wait for it) Michigan State University police. Michigan State University police 1, FBI 0. But by then, this monster was able to sexually abuse about 90 girls for another 17 months.

But in response to some of the above...

1. Taxpayers footing the bill for government incompetence/negligence happens literally every time the government fvcks up, is liable, and ends up being the defendant in a civil action. State government, federal government, administrative agency, local LEO, or even the FBI.... when they fvck up, taxpayers pay the bill. You don't like? Well, ****, neither do I. But the alternative would be what, exactly? No recourse because it's the government? Ohhhhhh-kay... but, have you seen our government? Whether federal, state, or municipal, they are consistently ******* **** up. Here's a depressing link to an article explaining how much taxpayer money the City of Baltimore paid out over just a 5 year period only counting the lawsuits against the police department (its millions of dollars). You think broke as **** Baltimore can afford that? After the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, where the FBI had received a tip about five weeks before 17 people were killed there but apparently never got around to forwarding it to the FBI’s South Florida office, the government agreed to pay $127.5 million to families of those killed or injured. Money grab? Parkland's an affluent zip code and they got plenty of "public support and sympathy," right?

2. Money grab?? If that's the term you want to use, sure... of course they are suing for money. Welcome to civil litigation. I'll be your host, Obvious Guy, and remind you human civilization has yet to invent the time machine (and never will... it's a paradox). So how else would you recommend these young women (WHO WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AND ABUSED WHILE WORKING TO REPRESENT THEIR COUNTRY IN THE ******* OLYMPICS) be made whole for their mental/emotional/psychological injuries? How else is anyone anywhere made whole for the injuries they sustain due to the negligence of another person? Example: If I get drunk and crash my car through your front door and take a **** on your cat, and then you file a lawsuit, is that a money grab? If the damage to your house is $10K to repair and I offer to pay that and bathe your cat, would you still sue? Would you sue me for "way less money" than what you think the injury is worth? What you ask me to pay for your inconvenience? Fear and apprehension? Trauma? What if you make more money than I do? What if I get you plenty of "public support and sympathy," would you call off your attorneys? Doubtful. You'd probably say something like, "fvck your sympathy, pay me as much as my attorney can possible get." Just like 99.9% of the people in this country do.

3. As far as "what they have already been awarded in recompense for their suffering," I am assuming you mean from their prior lawsuit against USA Gymnastics. Of course, literally hundreds of women were involved in that one and reached a (combined) $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee and their insurance companies... after a 5 year legal battle that included USA Gymnastics declaring bankruptcy. You might think that's enough. I doubt they'd agree, but fair enough. And if you are selected for the jury you can definitely make that case to your fellow jurors.

4. It seems like you're getting caught up on the billion dollars part. That's just a demand. Maybe they'll get more, probably they'll get much, much less (and they could, potentially, get nothing). Just like you can ask your boss for a 100% raise and he/she may ask if you're out of your mind, but still end up offering you a 25% raise that'll make you happy, so, too, with lawsuits and demands. That part's just posturing. Chalk it up to "the game is the game" and move on. But also, recognize that it's $1 billion for over 90 claimants who were all (allegedly) sexually abused by Nassar during this period (of "gross misconduct"... not my words, FBI Director Christopher Wray called it that).

5. How does (a few of, BTW, not even most of) them being millionaires make a difference? Is it your position that once a person has made enough money, government entities are free to do whatever they want to that person and that person shouldn't be able to file a civil suit for monetary damages because they've got enough money and most taxpayers have less? If so, that's some twisted reasoning (and seems like some extremely socialist thinking).

6. Whether they give whatever (if any) money they are awarded to charity or use it to buy a new house in Napa, I, personally, do not care. If a jury of American men and women determine that's what they are entitled to for the (alleged) ineptitude of federal law enforcement officers that (allegedly) resulted in 90 girls being sexually abused over a period of 17 months when the FBI had the complaints, could have done something about it, but did next to nothing, then so be it. Be better, FBI. Maybe getting hit for a few big lawsuits will **** people off enough that some things start to change. Probably not, but maybe.

So, yeah, your indignation is pointed in the wrong direction.
 
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Also this. A couple of agents were fired, but the FBI decided not to prosecute any of them, notwithstanding the FBI itself calling what happened "gross misconduct".
Here's the exact problem. Zero accountability for federal officials.
 
I’ve known a fair amount of line duty special agents. Almost all very good people dedicated to trying to do the right thing. Things get political and messed up farther up the chain.

I used to believe it.

Now sadly I believe they just recruit muppets.

All of them must go.
 
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How do you propose to do that? Dumb post from an ostensibly smart person.
It's an impossible task to de-establish an appropriated agency.

That fact, however, doesn't change thatbit tragically must be done.

It's irrepairably broken from top to bottom. A once vaunted organization brought low by unconscionable incompetence and blatant partisanship.

Hoover in a dress wirh RuPaul as his deputy would be better at this point.
 
It's an impossible task to de-establish an appropriated agency.

That fact, however, doesn't change thatbit tragically must be done.

It's irrepairably broken from top to bottom. A once vaunted organization brought low by unconscionable incompetence and blatant partisanship.

Hoover in a dress wirh RuPaul as his deputy would be better at this point.

You’re full of shlt.
 
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Assuming OP is operating in good faith here (and I have no reason to think otherwise), he does pose an interesting question that probably could've been addressed without going down the beyond tiresome road of dEeP StAtE talking points.

The only thing I'll add is that the only solution is a damages cap in these type of lawsuits against the state or federal entities. I think that's actually the worse of two "evils" though because then you kinda do end up creating an environment where there's no check on abuses of power or massive negligence/ineptitude by our institutions.
 
Once you lose respect it leaves a scare yes it can heal but a mark is left behind.

Things will never be the same , we the people have been violated and the person’s behind it will never be brought to justice.

We the people know this and have to deal with it like we have to deal with everything else.

We have no respect for our government any longer we just have to survive it each day.
 
Once you lose respect it leaves a scare yes it can heal but a mark is left behind.

Things will never be the same , we the people have been violated and the person’s behind it will never be brought to justice.

We the people know this and have to deal with it like we have to deal with everything else.

We have no respect for our government any longer we just have to survive it each day.
If we were a smarter people we wouldn't fall for the divide and conquer and focus our energies on the problem.
 
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