Agreed. Let’s quit referring to the government’s payout as a pension and start calling it “payoff.” As someone who had to serve for 20 years to get my pension (more accurately, retainer pay), I’m a bit miffed that if I get convicted of a felony against the US government (who pays the pension), I forfeit said pension. I also forfeit it if I decide that I won’t honour the recall to duty notice.
It’s obvious that I think it’s a disgraceful and dishonorable deal the feds entered into with the scum o’ the earth.
Nu, so who’s arguing? The only difference we have is that I don’t find it worth getting angry over.
Well, and this:
Near as I can tell, no one has said this, in this thread at least. Certainly not me. Closest I got was correctly pointing out that the money was not going to Hanssen but to his family.
Yeah, Monty, it was a payoff. But let’s face it - we almost always “pay off” spies we catch. They did damage to national security, but the extent of that damage can only be determined (and the damage fixed as much as possible) through the cooperation of the spy.
The normal payoff is taking the death penalty off the table. In this case, Hanssen demanded (and got more).
We’ve already long established that we will pay these guys off in one way or another. Now, as Oscar Wilde said, we’re just dickering over the price.
And that payoff was a complete slap in the face of every single individual who is subject to continued lawful service to maintain his or her pension or retainer pay from the federal government.
Of course I don’t intend to rush out and do something felonious, but this particular payoff certainly reeks a bit more than it had to.
No doubt, monty. Of course, it can be argued (strongly - though not by me, I’m agin the death penalty), that taking the death penalty off the table is a complete slap in the face of the families of agents, operatives, etc. who have died because of the actions of traitors.
But what are you going to do? It’s a real possibility that more people will die/be caught if the damage these people did to intelligence operations are not uncovered.
Aha! I just heard on the news (KTVU Television) this morning that “prosecutors believe Hanssen is holding back” on his promises. Well, that’s just jim dandy. The twerp sidled out of the death penalty AND saved his pension but is not honouring the deal that kept him from getting the death penalty and saved his pension. Looks to me like the feds need to revisit this case and perchance let the twerp know that not only is he going to fry but the cash cow’s drying up.
[Many Pitesque comments considered regarding Hanssen but not typed for obvious reasons.]