They dined at the buffet while sitting at a table with an unobstructed view of the field, surrounded by baseball fans while they discussed sensitive ongoing investigations.

And it didn’t cost them a thing.

And one of the participants was the former Chief of Internal Investigations Section of Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters.

Good work if you can get it I guess.

It was October 15, 2018 — a Monday.  My name’s Friday, I carry a badge.

It was sunny in Los Angeles but not hot – a typical autumn day in the City of Angels.  I was working bunko in the FBI LA Field Office.  The boss was Paul Delacourt (Pauly-D), Assistant FBI Director.

I was spending my afternoon organizing binder clips in my desk drawer by size, and thumb drives by storage capacity when the No. 2 in the office, SAC Voviette Morgan, stuck her head in my cubicle and said “The boss feels like a ballgame.  I lined up some comps from a guy who owed me — we’re leaving in 10.  Can’t take the chopper — too high profile.  Everyone drive their Bu car.  We’ll go Code 3 in a caravan to the stadium the way Comey taught us.”

Dodger Stadium was the call.  The Boys in Blue v. the BrewCrew from Milwaukee in a MLB playoff game. I hoped the brews would be gratis in recognition thereof.  But was I wrong.

I was last to arrive — I lost the pack on the I-5 going 90 when I got stuck behind a Ferrari that couldn’t keep up.

When Pauly-D spotted me being hassled by the Security at the Stadium Club door, he yelled out “Hey Tommy (Lasorda) — tell them he’s with us, let him through.”

I made my way to the table where 7 other LAFO Execs were sitting — right up front with an unobstructed view of the field down below.  Pauly-D motioned towards the buffet, and doing his best “Blutarsky” impersonation from Animal House yelled at me  — “Eat all you want, don’t cost nothin'”.

So I piled up the lobster and filet on one plate, and a couple dozen oyters with caviar on the other, and made my way to the table.  Voivette — the No.2 — was going over the latest Russian intel for the group.  I asked “Shouldn’t we do this back at the SCIF in the office, but Pauly-D said “Nah, just going over it for 5 minutes so we can call this our “Executive Management Meeting” for Inspection purpose.

Voivette had been Chief of Internal Investigations for Inspection Divisions, so I figured who better to know?  Good thing it was only 5 minutes, or we might have missed the first pitch.

During the 7th Inning Stretch, Pauly-D told me he had to suspend an brick agent that morning for using his Bu car to stop to pick up some prescription meds for his grandmother on the way home.  “Bu cars are only business” said Pauly-D.  “If you look the other way on the small stuff, they’ll take advantage.  Only management gets those perks.”

Ok, so some of that above is untrue.  It was written in my best “Joe Friday” style.  But some of it is true.  Which parts?  How about this:

On October 15, 2018, eight members of the Executive Management and Staff of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office did attend the playoff game between the Dodgers and the Brewers.

The ostensible purpose behind meeting at Dodger Stadium was to meet with members of the Dodger’s Security staff and get a tour of the stadium’s new command post for emergency matters – where the FBI would set up operations if necessary during the baseball playoffs.   The Dodgers had offered the use of a private room for a briefing on the facility after the tour, and for a regularly scheduled LAFO weekly management meeting which could be conducted since all normal attendees for such a meeting would be present.

The group arrived at 1:00 pm for the meeting with the head of security for the Dodgers and got a tour of the facility.  This meeting involved representatives from several federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who would be providing security for the playoff games.  The first pitch for that evening’s playoff game was set for 4:39.

Following the briefing of the entire group, the FBI officials were segregated and given an FBI-only briefing by the Dodger’s head of security.

After the tour and the briefing was complete, the head of security advised the group they were welcome to dine on the Stadium Club which had a buffet ahead of the game start.  The group was escorted there, and given white “tape” wristbands that signified their level of access inside the Stadium Club, as well as access to the buffet.

The group was provided a table near the front with an unobstructed view of the field.  While eating they were able to watch the game as it got underway.

During the course of the meal/meeting, sensitive matters and investigations were discussed, even though the group was in an unsecured location, and were surrounded by groups of baseball fans seated at nearby tables.

The entire episode was provided free of charge by the Dodgers.

The following day a complaint was filed with the Department of Justice Inspector General.

Last week it was announced that several of the attendees — including Assistant Director Delacourt were being “reassigned”.  A new head of the office was temporarily assigned from the FBI San Francisco Field Office.

The IG Report can be found here if you want to read the details.  Particularly amusing are the various excuses and justifications offered for what happened.  Delacourt continues to insist they did nothing wrong.  He thought the food came from Costco.

Voviette Morgan, the office SAC over Criminal Investigations, who handled most of the arrangements, was previously the head of the “Internal Investigations Section” of the “Inspections Division” at FBI HQ.  In that position, it was her job to uncover improper, unethical, and potentially illegal activities in various FBI offices undergoing periodic inspections.

Like I said, good work if you can get it.