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Before it gets asked... >The DEA is limited by statute to enforcing drug related federal crimes. But on Sunday, Timothy Shea, a former US Attorney and close co

Before it gets asked... >The DEA is limited by statute to enforcing drug related federal crimes. But on Sunday, Timothy Shea, a former US Attorney and close confidant of Barr who was named acting administrator of the DEA last month, received approval from Associate Deputy Attorney General G. Bradley Weinsheimer to go beyond the agency’s mandate “to perform other law enforcement duties” that Barr may “deem appropriate.”

mysterydip 6y ago
ah the old catchall "other duties," often used to abuse employees into doing work outside of their employed scope which would have been a higher pay grade if it were part of the job description.
- koheripbal 6y ago
  I'm pretty sure they are only too happy to buat riot organizers (as distinct from protesters).
  - mysterydip 6y ago
    I was referring more to other jobs such as IT Helpdesk (who also has to do server or network admin because it's "other duties as assigned" after they're hired) and the like
pyrophane 6y ago
I wonder if there is a specific loophole they are exploiting here or if they are simply ignoring the law because they can.
- koheripbal 6y ago
  There is no law that forces them not to work on other areas. It is just an administrative division.
  - wool_gather 6y ago
    The comment at the top of the thread disagrees with that; it says there is a statute that applies.
pfundstein 6y ago
How can we repair a system that's been systematically corrupted over several years? As a systems engineer my instinct is to rebuild the system from the ground up. If only politics was that simple.
- lallysingh 6y ago
  An omnibus law of restrictions on law enforcement.
- TehCorwiz 6y ago
  I hear the French did that once with great success. Took a while though.
  - grawprog 6y ago
    And cost a lot of heads.
  - GrinningFool 6y ago
    I hear it was rough on headcount.
  - kgin 6y ago
    Violent revolutions aren’t great when the ruling system is a democracy. By definition it’s going against the will of “the people”
    - projektfu 6y ago
      With gerrymandering, the non-proportional Senate, and the Electoral College system, it might be a stretch to call the US federal government a democracy. Something like it, but not exactly.
      - kgin 6y ago
        I would be down for a revolution against gerrymandering.
gbrown 6y ago
This is so completely fucked. I always worry about sounding hyperbolic, but I really do wonder these days if we’re living through the last days of the American republic.
- wetmore 6y ago
  I feel the same way a lot recently and I would love for someone to tell me why I'm wrong.
  - jedieaston 6y ago
    Because every other country in the world has a vested interest in keeping the USD stable as a currency, which would mean that they'd help keep the country up if needed (whether it's good or not that a civil revolt is extremely difficult here is up to you). The entire world's economy, as well as many countries political configurations, rely on the United States existing. I doubt it's going anywhere, but hopefully reform might actually happen this time.
    - ardy42 6y ago
      >>> This is so completely fucked. I always worry about sounding hyperbolic, but I really do wonder these days if we’re living through the last days of the American republic. >> I feel the same way a lot recently and I would love for someone to tell me why I'm wrong. > Because every other country in the world has a vested interest in keeping the USD stable as a currency, which would mean that they'd help keep the country up if needed You're answering the wrong question. The American republic isn't primarily an economic system, it's a political and social one. It can become completely fucked in so many ways without disrupting the currency too badly too quickly. I know it will be little consolation to me to have the currency remain stable while things descend into pseudo-democratic authoritarianism.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- AnimalMuppet 6y ago
refurb 6y ago
Does it really matter? Whether it's the FBI or the DEA on the street arresting people, does it make a difference? They are both federal law enforcement and both are held to similar standards.
Scoundreller 6y ago
Great. One step closer to ending the war on drugs and re-deploying DEA resources toward crimes that hurt people.
- dionian 6y ago
  right? im not sure why everyone is against the DEA focusing on more pressing issues
sitkack 6y ago
To task the DEA with this action is a direct affront to everything the movement asks for. The war on drugs was a direction action against blacks, to task the DEA with oversight in response to the murder by racist cops is to both acknowledge and turn down any complaint that we may have had.
slim 6y ago
man, if your constitution does not protect you from this, you have to change it. ours certainly does (Tunisia). executive can't simply give orders to restrict liberties without a proper law voted by the parliament.
- chasd00 6y ago
  Did everyone forget what just happened with the pandemic? There are no rights anymore.
sterlind 6y ago
21 USC section 878(a)(5) is what allows the AG to deputize the DEA like that. It's fascinating, seeing the lawful mechanisms of executive overreach in play. Horrifying, but fascinating!

mysterydip 6y ago

ah the old catchall "other duties," often used to abuse employees into doing work outside of their employed scope which would have been a higher pay grade if it were part of the job description.

koheripbal 6y ago
I'm pretty sure they are only too happy to buat riot organizers (as distinct from protesters).
- mysterydip 6y ago
  I was referring more to other jobs such as IT Helpdesk (who also has to do server or network admin because it's "other duties as assigned" after they're hired) and the like

pyrophane 6y ago

I wonder if there is a specific loophole they are exploiting here or if they are simply ignoring the law because they can.

koheripbal 6y ago
There is no law that forces them not to work on other areas. It is just an administrative division.
- wool_gather 6y ago
  The comment at the top of the thread disagrees with that; it says there is a statute that applies.

pfundstein 6y ago

How can we repair a system that's been systematically corrupted over several years? As a systems engineer my instinct is to rebuild the system from the ground up. If only politics was that simple.

lallysingh 6y ago
An omnibus law of restrictions on law enforcement.
TehCorwiz 6y ago
I hear the French did that once with great success. Took a while though.
- grawprog 6y ago
  And cost a lot of heads.
- GrinningFool 6y ago
  I hear it was rough on headcount.
- kgin 6y ago
  Violent revolutions aren’t great when the ruling system is a democracy. By definition it’s going against the will of “the people”
  - projektfu 6y ago
    With gerrymandering, the non-proportional Senate, and the Electoral College system, it might be a stretch to call the US federal government a democracy. Something like it, but not exactly.
    - kgin 6y ago
      I would be down for a revolution against gerrymandering.

gbrown 6y ago

This is so completely fucked. I always worry about sounding hyperbolic, but I really do wonder these days if we’re living through the last days of the American republic.

wetmore 6y ago
I feel the same way a lot recently and I would love for someone to tell me why I'm wrong.
- jedieaston 6y ago
  Because every other country in the world has a vested interest in keeping the USD stable as a currency, which would mean that they'd help keep the country up if needed (whether it's good or not that a civil revolt is extremely difficult here is up to you). The entire world's economy, as well as many countries political configurations, rely on the United States existing. I doubt it's going anywhere, but hopefully reform might actually happen this time.
  - ardy42 6y ago
    >>> This is so completely fucked. I always worry about sounding hyperbolic, but I really do wonder these days if we’re living through the last days of the American republic. >> I feel the same way a lot recently and I would love for someone to tell me why I'm wrong. > Because every other country in the world has a vested interest in keeping the USD stable as a currency, which would mean that they'd help keep the country up if needed You're answering the wrong question. The American republic isn't primarily an economic system, it's a political and social one. It can become completely fucked in so many ways without disrupting the currency too badly too quickly. I know it will be little consolation to me to have the currency remain stable while things descend into pseudo-democratic authoritarianism.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
AnimalMuppet 6y ago

refurb 6y ago

Does it really matter? Whether it's the FBI or the DEA on the street arresting people, does it make a difference? They are both federal law enforcement and both are held to similar standards.

Scoundreller 6y ago

Great. One step closer to ending the war on drugs and re-deploying DEA resources toward crimes that hurt people.

dionian 6y ago
right? im not sure why everyone is against the DEA focusing on more pressing issues

sitkack 6y ago

To task the DEA with this action is a direct affront to everything the movement asks for. The war on drugs was a direction action against blacks, to task the DEA with oversight in response to the murder by racist cops is to both acknowledge and turn down any complaint that we may have had.

slim 6y ago

man, if your constitution does not protect you from this, you have to change it. ours certainly does (Tunisia). executive can't simply give orders to restrict liberties without a proper law voted by the parliament.

chasd00 6y ago
Did everyone forget what just happened with the pandemic? There are no rights anymore.

sterlind 6y ago

21 USC section 878(a)(5) is what allows the AG to deputize the DEA like that. It's fascinating, seeing the lawful mechanisms of executive overreach in play. Horrifying, but fascinating!