TOW #19 – “I'm a Democrat (and Ex-CIA) but the Spies Plotting against Trump Are out of Control” by Bryan Dean Wright

Written transparently by former CIA officer Bryan Dean Wright, the editorial “I'm a Democrat (and Ex-CIA) but the Spies Plotting against Trump Are out of Control” reflects the perspective that American spies are not following proper legal proceedings. The danger, Wright argues, lies in this invalid assumption of responsibility to investigate Trump’s relationship with Russia. It is evident that American spies must follow the appropriate legal process to truly preserve American democracy; what separates the treason of a CIA officer from that of an executive? Wright defends this argument by describing the “slippery slope of political tribalism,” (Wright) which is the expected reactionary process in America’s bipartisan system that would defeat effective democracy. It is apparent that both conservative and liberal power-seeking spies would disrupt the natural process of shifting executive power, and thus, we must heavily investigate spies to ensure they are working within their legal limits. Whereas the federal government recognizes the importance of investigating the relationship between Trump and Russia, Wright defends his position that this investigation must be carried out on a national level within “the Department of Justice or Congress” (Wright) to preserve American democracy. Written by a former CIA officer, who has assumed the legal responsibilities of this governmental position, this article shares a unique perspective with an immediate appeal to ethos. As an ex-CIA officer, Wright comments to liberal Americans that the proper process for checking the power of the President must be upheld. Furthermore, enforced by the Hatch Act, spies have a responsibility to stay out of governmental affairs unless they are designated specific permission to investigate a case. The Hatch Act reinforces the ideology that no spy – whether liberal or conservative – should assume the power to interfere with the American governmental process. In order to protect democracy, and in order to preserve our American identity, it is essential that Americans understand the risks associated with spies conducting private investigations under the law.

Works Cited

Wright, Bryan Dean. “I'm a Democrat (and Ex-CIA) but the Spies Plotting against Trump Are out of Control.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 18 Feb. 2017, www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/02/18/im-democrat-and-ex-cia-but-spies-plotting-against-trump-are-out-control.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2017.