John Vincent

FBI Dispute: Court Clears Way For FBI Agent's Book, But Retired Colleague Calls It A Hollow Victory

Colleague says he sees little hope for reform at FBI

Source: chicagotribune.com

By Todd Lighty | Tribune reporter
May 14, 2009

When a federal judge last week chastised the FBI for its heavy-handed efforts to silence two Chicago agents, it appeared as if the agents had won a long and hard-fought victory.

For seven years, they battled their bosses to get out their message that the FBI bungled terrorism investigations and was ill-equipped to prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

The judge cleared the way for publication of a book by FBI agent Robert Wright Jr. and release of other information from Wright and John Vincent that could prove embarrassing to the bureau.

But Vincent, a retired FBI terrorism agent, said Wednesday that theirs was a hollow victory because the bureau delayed the book's publication for so long.

"Sadly, we accomplished nothing," Vincent said. "The bureau prevented the book from being published, violated our rights and now is free to do it to the next agent."

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