Former officials from intelligence agencies, DOJ to discuss erosion of public trust at ABA webinar

Four national security lawyers who have served in prominent positions within federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies will discuss whether U.S. institutions have become politicized in a webinar sponsored by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security. “Lost Trust: Politics and Intelligence” will take place online Friday, June 23, at 4 p.m.

Recent political developments have damaged the reputation of agencies within the U.S. intelligence community, particularly the FBI, and have deeply divided the country. Reports by Robert Mueller, John Durham and multiple inspectors general have fostered suspicions that the Trump-Russia investigation was driven more by politics than by evidence. Panelists will discuss recent events and the appearance of partisanship and what can be done to restore trust among the American public. Panelists include:

• Stewart Baker, former general counsel, National Security Agency and former assistant secretary for policy, Department of Homeland Security.

• Alex Joel, former civil liberties protection officer, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

• Mary McCord, former acting assistant attorney general for national security, U.S. Department of Justice.

• Harvey Rishikof, former legal counsel to the deputy director of the FBI and former policy adviser to the director of national counterintelligence, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

There is no cost for the webinar. To register, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/law_national_security.