"You've Got Mail" ... But Amazingly, Some In The FBI Don't

[JABBS]

Budget constraints are forcing some Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to operate without e-mail accounts, according to the agency's top official in New York.

"As ridiculous as this might sound, we have real money issues right now, and the government is reluctant to give all agents and analysts dot-gov accounts," Mark Mershon, director in charge of the agency's New York City office, told the New York Daily News. "We just don't have the money, and that is an endless stream of complaints that come from the field."

Amazingly, FBI spokeswoman Cathy Milhoan tried to spin that cost-cutting was not putting agents at a disadvantage.

Yeah, right. Should we assume FBI agents are just as effective using pay phones, or maybe tying messages to carrier pigeons?

Here's a straightforward question: how can the FBI be short on cash, while the Bush Administration tells us repeatedly it will do "everything we can" to fight terror?

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This item first appeared at JABBS.

[MADem]

1. Aww, gee, Agent Mike can get a freebie at Yahoo or Hotmail!! n/t

[blondeatlast]

2. Okay, I'm in civil service, and even the lowliest clerk in my

workplace has a .gov e-mail.

[Nite Owl]

3. We can send them all

gmail invites. Just sayin'

[Pryderi]

4. Agents with Hotmail accounts? Wouldn't that be a security violation?

[JABBS]

6. they have to have secured e-mail

But it's ridiculous that they don't have money for such things. Just pitiful.

[Ian David]

5. No one could have anticipated the communications problems at the FBI

Nobody could have anticipated the breaching of the levees.
Nobody could have predicted terrorists would use planes as weapons.
Nobody could have predicted Hamaas would win the Palestinian elections.
Nobody could have predicted the insurgency in Iraq.