One of the ongoing discussions about the the Trump presidency is over the existence of a “deep state” within the Federal government that is opposed to the policies of the Trump Administration and is acting to sabotage those policies. There are a lot of nutty things said on the subject and the nuttiest thing said is that it doesn’t exist. The American deep state is well documented. During the Cuban Missile Crisis the US Navy intercepted the first Soviet merchantman outside the range of land-based aircraft even though it has been ordered to establish a quarantine line much closer so that Khrushchev would have more time to make a decision. We don’t have a deep state in the sense that Turkey does where there is a unified effort by the military, police, etc., to safeguard the elites. We do have one in which bureaucracies act contrary to presidential wishes and orders to safeguard what they see as their prerogatives.

Case in point. Yesterday, Wolf Blitzer had on his panel a guy named Philip Mudd. Never heard of him. But given the amount of bureaucratic climbing he accomplished in his career, he’s worth listening to. This is the key takeaway from the panel.

Former CIA counterterrorism official Phil Mudd: The FBI people "are ticked" and they'll be saying of Trump, “You’ve been around for 13 months. We've been around since 1908. I know how this game is going to be played. We're going to win" https://t.co/5x39x20g3e pic.twitter.com/fByOLNrh0I

— CNN (@CNN) February 2, 2018

https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/959825293182754822

This isn’t the first time Mudd has said this:

Let me give you one bottom line as a former government official. The government is going to kill this guy. He defends Vladimir Putin, their State Department, and CIA officers are coming home. And at Langley and in foggy bottom, CIA and State they’re saying, this is how you defend us? We saw the same thing in his transgender comments. What is the military saying to him on transgender? Show us the policy. You know what that means inside government, ain’t going to happen. What did the Department of Justice say on Paul Manafort? You can say what you want, a judge told us we cause to search his home early in the morning because we don’t trust the guy who was your campaign manager.

I have no doubt that the agents and analysts that went along with Comey and McCabe and others is weaponizing the FBI as an arm of the Democrat party are pissed. I have doubts that all, or even most, agents and analysts fall into that category. But, the fact that some do is significant. The idea that a federal law enforcement agency is out to get the president should be terrifying. Unfortunately, the same crowd that sees nothing wrong with the FBI’s actions in regards to the Trump dossier will think this is fair game.

A free society cannot survive if people with badges and guns can decide they will no only NOT obey directives issued but they will carry out their own vendettas whenever they feel offended. If I thought for a second Mudd was going anything more than trying to prove an analyst can be a macho tough guy–and it is hilarious to watch analysts engage in d**k-measuring contests–I’d be advocating to disband the FBI because what he’s describing is insurrection.

FBI agents take this oath of office

“I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

This oath does not make you a Pope of the Constitution. You don’t get to personally decide if an act is unconstitutional. That decision is made for you. If you think something is illegal or whatever, there is a process for complaining but just because you think something is unwise or ill considered does not give you the right to decide to try to damage the president or the boss that is appointed over you.

I think the president, Jeff Sessions, and Christopher Wray should take this kind of talk damned seriously and make an effort to find out a) if it exists and b) if it does, the pervasiveness of it. And everyone involved needs to be removed from the civil service.

Anyone questioning why a FORMER CIA official wants to add kerosene to the tense situation between FBI & White House? Is this manipulation, propaganda or stupidity? Regardless, very dangerous as Mudd is saying a Govmt agency is more powerful than an office elected by the people. https://t.co/QQnLkwKV3D

— Scottie Nell Hughes (@scottienhughes) February 3, 2018

Thinking people: This memo is overstated and lacks evidence. The FBI is not a rogue institution.

Mudd: Hold my beer. https://t.co/njihw9meVU

— Oh THAT Guy (@NathanWurtzel) February 3, 2018

This is the whole interview