Federal background interviews - Page 2

FALPhil · January 27, 2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Could I be prosecuted for lying to a federal investigator?

Lying to investigators was the only thing they could convict Martha Stewart on; the rest was rendered "not guilty".

You might also take note that it is not against the law for federal investigators to lie to you.

wally626 · January 27, 2010, 06:50 PM

Having been on both sides of this, most investigators basically have told me most people have nothing of interest to say. For the ones I have given, there has just never been anything I knew of interest. As far as I know nobody was having an affair, bankrupt, spending beyond there means involved in criminal activities etc. etc. A lot is just to verify that if you said you lived at address 105 street lane, you actually lived their, stuff like that. My first clearance was the worst, I had lived in so many different places over the previous 15 years, that figuring out where and whom my neighbors was took forever, not to mention foreign trips I could not remember any details of. I think I re-did the form several times, after the reviewers kept coming back with, that part is filled out wrong, where exactly were you for the month of August in 19XX, when did you go to Canada, Europe, with whom, who did you see. etc. etc.

**44 AMP** · January 27, 2010, 08:27 PM

The folks McVeigh stayed with got years in jail for not telling the Feds he was going to do a bombing. Their defense was, basically, "we didn't think he was serious". They went to jail.

I believe if you have direct personal knowledge of a crime, (and yes, planning a crime is also a crime - conspiracy) then you have a moral obligation to report it. You may have a legal obligation, then again, you may not. That is much more fact dependant, and if you have any doubts, you ought to be talking to a good lawyer.

If your friend has done some questionable things, but not clearly illegal, then I think it would depend on how you felt about them being a disqualifier for what ever position he is being cleared for. If they ask, don't lie. If they don't ask, .....your call.

Guess that doesn't help all that much...sorry!

January 27, 2010, 08:27 PM	#28
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	Remember OKC bombing? The folks McVeigh stayed with got years in jail for not telling the Feds he was going to do a bombing. Their defense was, basically, "we didn't think he was serious". They went to jail. I believe if you have direct personal knowledge of a crime, (and yes, planning a crime is also a crime - conspiracy) then you have a moral obligation to report it. You may have a legal obligation, then again, you may not. That is much more fact dependant, and if you have any doubts, you ought to be talking to a good lawyer. If your friend has done some questionable things, but not clearly illegal, then I think it would depend on how you felt about them being a disqualifier for what ever position he is being cleared for. If they ask, don't lie. If they don't ask, .....your call. Guess that doesn't help all that much...sorry! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 27, 2010, 06:50 PM	#27
wally626 Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2009 Posts: 642	Having been on both sides of this, most investigators basically have told me most people have nothing of interest to say. For the ones I have given, there has just never been anything I knew of interest. As far as I know nobody was having an affair, bankrupt, spending beyond there means involved in criminal activities etc. etc. A lot is just to verify that if you said you lived at address 105 street lane, you actually lived their, stuff like that. My first clearance was the worst, I had lived in so many different places over the previous 15 years, that figuring out where and whom my neighbors was took forever, not to mention foreign trips I could not remember any details of. I think I re-did the form several times, after the reviewers kept coming back with, that part is filled out wrong, where exactly were you for the month of August in 19XX, when did you go to Canada, Europe, with whom, who did you see. etc. etc.