Classified Woman by Sibel Edmonds

Author:Sibel Edmonds [Edmonds, Sibel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780615602226
Google: aCieMQEACAAJ
Amazon: 0615602223
Publisher: Sibel Edmonds
Published: 2012-03-08T16:00:00+00:00

A few days after the leak, I received a call from Kris Kolesnik, who wanted to get together to go over a few issues that dealt with Congress. During our conversation, he mentioned a tentative meeting set up by Senator Grassley’s office for the following day to discuss some questions. Though short notice, I told him I would make myself available.

I now had three channels to pursue and Congress was one of them. During my congressional interview, I’d told them essentially what I’d told the IG: subpoena the relevant documents and audios from the FBI and let that material tell the whole story. Why waste valuable time questioning me when you can get everything you need straight from the source? I didn’t know if they ever made the request.

That evening I met Kolesnik at a pub only a few blocks from where I lived. According to Kris, the Senate staff had already met with and questioned several FBI officials regarding my case. They wanted to meet with me again and have me provide answers to their follow-up questions right away, the next day. He didn’t have any further details, and nothing about what questions were asked during that meeting or the bureau officials’ responses. I asked him about the request for documents by Senate investigators: Had they obtained those files and materials? Kolesnik didn’t know but expected that if they hadn’t already, they surely would after having met with the FBI officials.

We also discussed my FOIA case. The bureau had three weeks to respond and release to us the requested documents under FOIA regulations, and they had already gone beyond that time. KKC sent a follow-up letter. If their stonewalling continued, we would file a court case against them—my first court claim against the FBI.

This was more than darkly troubling, it was Theater of the Absurd. If government agencies can so easily refuse to abide by it, what is the point of having such a law? Refusal to comply—in fact, a violation—means it is now our burden to pay legal fees and spend time and energy fighting in court. What kind of justice system is this? Then again, what are my choices? In the time that followed, this simple FOIA request would take years and tens of thousands of dollars battling in court.

On the afternoon of the day I met with Senate investigators to answer their follow-up questions, my home phone rang while I was cooking. I answered it, cradling the receiver in the crook of my neck while I rinsed my garlicky hands in the sink. It was the lead investigator from the Inspector General’s office.

“Today we received a report from the FBI regarding your visit to certain Senate offices,” she informed me.

“Since when do they report to you regarding my whereabouts?”

“According to the FBI,” she went on, ignoring me, “two agents were in that same Senate building when they noticed you in the hall walking toward one of the offices. According to their report, you had with you a folder filled with top-secret classified and extremely sensitive FBI-related documents.

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