No. 3 CIA Pick Was Caught Shoplifting

[baldguy]

The man chosen for the third-ranking job in the CIA (news - web sites) resigned under pressure from the U.S. spy agency more than 20 years ago after being caught shoplifting, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

...

Goss picked Kostiw, a former lobbyist for ChevronTexaco Corp and staffer on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, to replace the existing executive director less than a week after becoming director. Kostiw would have a key role in spending decisions and personnel matters, the Post said.

more
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&e=3&u=/nm/security_cia_dc


Is being a criminal now a prerequisite for getting a job in the Bush regime?

[MidwestTransplant]

1. I thought you had to be a fellon to get a job with the Bushs?

[ogradda]

2. means he has job experience

n/t

[kodi]

13. only an inexperineced spy would get caught. think james bond would?

yeah, let's go out hire a guy for spymaster who can't even lift a pack of chewing gum.

we might as well have an attorney general who never read the US Constitution.

oopps. we have.

[fearnobush]

3. Only the convicted and suspect need apply... When do we get our Chaney

conviction?

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Cheney's had 2 DUI's.

[msanthrope]

5. Hmmm--usually the thievery is more subtle and worthwhile....

Must not be very smart.

Seems to me that you want a CIA member at least be able to shoplift..

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. Maybe he was just practicing his covert skills?

:-)

[Skinner]

7. LOL

Nice.

[JackintheGreen]

8. Laughing, but...

seriously folks. This happened 20+ years ago. Maybe he's still a crook, maybe not. I've done things within the last 10 years that I wouldn't want held against me at my job. Find me something current and I'll take the guy as a serious threat to democracy.

Now for the serious question: isn't it just possible some there exists someone in the * administration who is honorable and good? You know, a Hannibal Smith kind of Robin Hood working for the MAN in order to aid the little guy? (Oh, wait...Hannibal WAS a felon, convicted of a crime he didn't commit, living in the LA underground. Da. da da DA.... da.da. da....)

[Bucky]

10. What an awesome theory.

Alas, tisn't the case, but awesome nonetheless.

The shoplifting thing is strickly pro forma, by the by. "If you wanna join our gang, you gotta do a crime, man." I think the Thuggees of 18th century India had a similar admission policy.

[yellowcanine]

9. Maybe he has repented and is now a born again Christian - worked for Bush

An adult who shoplifts, other than someone who is destitute and does it out of economic necessity (or as a criminal enterprise), must be a kleptomaniac. I am not a psychologist but it seems to me that kleptomania isn't something you get "cured of" but rather a condition like alcoholism that must be managed by removing the temptation. Alcoholics cope by not drinking at all. So a kleptomaniac would presumably cope by not shopping alone or otherwise putting themselves in a situation where there is a temptation to steal. So are we to understand that Goss is going to put a kleptomaniac in charge of spending decisions and personnel matters ( maybe including approving expense vouchers, etc.)? Yeah that sounds like a good plan.

[The Doctor.]

14. Actually, yes - there are ways to modify such behaviors...

I'm not a behavioral or abnormal psychologist in specialty, but one can, especially over twenty years, recondition oneself to avoid the impulse to steal. First one has to recognize the origin of the impulse, then either get assistance to administer reinforcement (Good ol' Pavlov.), or use reinterpretive techniques to redirect the impulse to another outlet - such as sports shooting on someone else's private property, or pyromania, or even malificent social engineering.

See? Now don't we all feel safer?

[farmbo]

11. Not shoplifting. It was a super-secret Cartier decoder diamond broach!

The criminal conviction was just a cover story. :crazy:

[readmylips]

12. Criminal related to Condolezza Chevron Rice...

good job bush.

[Amigust]

15. MAYBE not a prerequisite, but certainly a BIG PLUS

"Is being a criminal now a prerequisite for getting a job in the Bush regime?"

[Disturbed]

16. It is just odd.

Yeah, a shopplifting charge, 20 years ago is not a huge deal but it is emberrasing and throws off the smoothness of the appointment.

Goss knew that this would come up but appointed this guy anyway. I don't know what to make of this but damn it is odd.

Having Goss as CIA Director is a whole other matter which was discussed on DU extensively. If the Neo Fascists retain power in Govt. the USA will be a full out Neo Fascists Police State.

[pelagius]

17. Kostiw's Problem...

...was that he didn't think big enough. Stealing a package a bacon is embarassingly banal. But stealing a employee pension fund, for example, is such a grand stroke of larceny he would have been a hero to this crowd.

Remember: BIG lie, BIG theft.