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FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2001

The Senate on Thursday voted 98-0 to confirm former US Attorney Robert S. Mueller III as director of the FBI, the agency responsible for investigating federal crimes in Indian Country.

The move came just hours after the Judiciary Committee cleared Mueller, 56, to head the troubled agency. Earlier this week, the committee held two days of hearings for the nominee, who drew praise from lawmakers of both parties for his years of service to the federal government.

Assigned to a 10-year term as head of the FBI, Mueller is now expected to clean up an agency hit by a number of high-profile mishaps in recent years. From the Wen Ho Lee spy case to executed Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, the FBI has come under attack by lawmakers and the public for what some consider a "cowboy" culture.

"I believe the FBI can and must do a better job of dealing with mistakes," said Mueller this week.

To try and correct the problems, the FBI is under a number of investigations. Although he said he is "convinced" Mueller can make the FBI better, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has already begun a series of hearings into the agency.

Supporters of imprisoned American Indian Movement activist Leonard Peltier are hoping Leahy will include hearings into the 26-year-old case. In calling for hearings into his conviction, Peltier in a statement said "the FBI will continue abusing its power as long as they are allowed to."

In addition to the Congressional oversight, the Department of Justice is conducting its own look into the FBI. In June, Attorney General John Ashcroft called for a "comprehensive review" of the agency, which will include an investigation of the records-keeping system.

The FBI disclosed last month lack of internal filing controls led to the loss of hundreds of guns and sensitive computer equipment. The announcement came on the heels of more than 3,000 pages documents which were unexplainably withheld from the defense team of McVeigh.

Ashcroft has also allowed his department to have greater powers to investigate the FBI. The Inspector General no longer has to get permission to conduct probes.

A bill approved by the House last month also creates a special position to oversee the FBI. The position is included in a $17.6 billion spending bill for the Department of Justice for fiscal year 2002.

Mueller's confirmation came on a day when President Bush saw another of his political appointees see defeat. Democrats on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted to reject Mary Sheila Gall as head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Mueller would take office as soon as he is sworn in by Ashcroft. He is expected to undergo prostate surgery later this month, which should only keep him out of work for a couple of days.

Mueller replaces Louis J. Freeh, a Clinton appointee who left the bureau before his term was up. Citing family reasons for the June departure, he has not made public his future plans.

Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) were not present for yesterday evening's vote.

Relevant Links:
FBI - http://www.fbi.org
Free Leonard Peltier - http://www.freepeltier.org
The Leonard Peltier File, FBI - http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/minn/peltier.htm
The Peltier Trial Transcripts - http://ishgooda.nativeweb.org/peltier/trial.htm
The No Parole Peltier Association - http://www.noparolepeltier.com

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