Mark S. Zaid

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

Totally misleading tweet @ABCPolitics. Your own article states "He had planned for weeks to leave the department by the end of June." So why try to chronologically insinuate a factual connection? — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

RT @bloomcounty: New Strip 6.14.21 https://t.co/4Na1NauPpE — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

RT @NPR: NEW: The House Judiciary Committee will investigate the Trump Justice Department's seizure of metadata from devices belonging to m… — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

RT @brianstelter: Here's my story about today's meeting between news execs and the DOJ. Top takeaway: Merrick Garland says he will work to… — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

@BradMossEsq Stop hiding things — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

END/This is how representing #natsec #whistleblowers must be handled. We ensure our clients act properly & lawfully to minimize any retaliatory actions against them & hopefully to reverse any prior adverse actions. Govt officials who violate law/policy will be held accountable. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

42/@wbaidlaw & my firm are seeking to protect McConnell (& his DOJ superior) as lawful #whistleblowers. We have met w/Congressional reps & govt officials abt case & @NewYorker article by @RonanFarrow was completely authorized through our efforts. Now we have sued FBI for report. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

41/DOJ spokesperson said ADAG Goldsmith reviewed matter & “made recommendations to federal law-enforcement officials and prosecutors, which resulted in a careful review of both past cases and current practice.” Problem was FBI never revealed true story. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

40/On Jan 31, 2020, McConnell, me & #JohnTye (@wbaidlaw) met w/DOJ OIG & learned of existence of FBI’s corrective action report, which was identified as approx 35 pages long. Apparently FBI never allowed OCDETF Dir to read full report. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

39/In following months, McConnell’s appeal of his suspension of access to JIATFS facilities & classified information was ignored & discussion about his future assignments grounded to halt. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

38/A few weeks aft McConnell was ejected from JIATFS, CIA Dir #GinaHaspel visited. She was briefed on McConnell’s involvement & deceptive FBI/CIA CMA scheme. Dir Haspel expressed need for “repercussions” for McConnell because of his disclosure. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

37/But between Dec 10-17, 2018, FBI CMAs submitted to Helios database by FBI continued to inaccurately attribute sources of info. McConnell’s classified presentation specifically identified CMA from December 17, 2018, that contradicted their assertion. FBI knew this. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

36/In Mar 2019, FBI Agents Vorndran & Johnson made false statements to ADAG Hovakimian abt FBI’s alleged corrective action regarding fraudulent CMAs. They claimed since Dec 7, 2018 corrected language removed false attribution of CMA info to FBI sources. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

35/This action was nothing but unlawful retaliation for McConnell’s proper #whistleblowing activities. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

34/On Mar 4, 2019, McConnell’s local access to JIATFS facilities & classified info systems was suspended by JIATFS Dir based on CIA’s allegations he improperly disclosed classified info related to FBI/CIA CMAs. He was escorted out front door of JIATFS command building. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

33/On Feb 26, 2019, McConnell provided 7 hours of testimony under oath to DOJ IG. CIA JIATFS rep brazenly complained to JIATFS senior staff that McConnell was improperly meeting w/DOJ IG. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

32/In response to ADAG Goldsmith’s instruction, FBI Special Agents Vorndran & Johnson undertook investigation w/o involving OCDETF personnel, in spite of requests from OCDETF leadership to participate, & produced corrective action report never shown to any OCDETF personnel. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

31/ADAG Goldsmith reviewed electronic evidence presentation created by McConnell & prescribed that FBI conduct fact-finding investigation in conjunction w/OCDETF personnel to determine whether JIATFS FBI agents had intentionally submitted false CMAs in Helios database. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

30/On Jan 29, 2019, OCDETF’s Dir requested mtg. McConnell was present w/Associate Deputy Attorney General #AndrewGoldsmith, ADAG #PatrickHovakimian, OCDETF’s Dir & DepDir & FBI Special Agents #BrianVorndran & #KristiJohnson. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

29/Knowing he would be subject to CIA ire & face retaliation, McConnell followed classified info procedures & preserved backup printed copies of Helios images he had sent to hotline. Later that day, security officers deleted electronic version of presentation from his computer. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

28/On Jan 23, 2019, McConnell filed formal #whistleblower complaint w/@DeptofDefense Office of Inspector General’s classified hotline & attached his classified presentation. He filed subsequent complaints w/@TheJusticeDept & IC IGs as well. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

27/As JIATFS Security Manager put it to McConnell, presentation was being removed as part of “gentleman’s agreement with the Agency.” — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

26/On Jan 22, 2019, after making lawfully protected disclosures up his chain of command & within JIATFS, McConnell learned his CMA presentation was being treated as improper spillage of CIA CMA information & it was ordered removed from classified JIATFS systems. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

25/CIA personnel in attendance pressed for consequences for McConnell. As a lawful #whistleblower, these actions would be retaliatory in nature & prohibited. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

24/On Jan 11, 2019, meeting held at CIA where McConnell’s classified presentation was discussed. CIA falsely alleged presentation involved spillage of classified CIA info in JIATFS database even though CMAs did not purport to contain CIA info! Talk about #chutzpah!!! — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

23/...of J2, McConnell created properly classified presentation that preserved examples of deceptive FBI CMAs in multiple cases. He lawfully disseminated presentation through secure channels to various individuals w/i OCDETF Exec Ofc, FBI & JIATFS staff. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

22/Later in Nov & December 2018, McConnell brought info abt CMAs to attn of JIATFS Staff Judge Advocate, Security & Intel Dir (J2) & OCDETF Dir/DepDirector. In order to best present legal & policy concerns created by deceptive FBI CMAs & only after securing approval ... — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

21/Fact CIA had actually provided info contained in CMAs was never revealed to OCDETF prosecutors who approved FBI-led operation. This served as confirmation to McConnell & his supervisors at OCDETF Exec Ofc that fraudulent CMAs were deceptively influencing JIATFS/DOJ actions. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

20/In Nov 2018, McConnell learned OCDETF regional authorities in Miami had given approval to FBI-led law enforcement op w/i S.D. Fla on basis of 4 maritime interdiction prosecutions that resulted from deceptive FBI/CIA CMAs. — PolitiTweet.org

Mark S. Zaid @MarkSZaidEsq

19/...& that FBI personnel had refused to answer questions from JIATFS intelligence & operations staffs as to true source of information contained in purported FBI CMAs. — PolitiTweet.org