United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Wayne Simmons, recurring Fox News guest, charged with lying about CIA ties
Source:
[None]
URL Source: http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/15/med ... ommentator-arrested/index.html
Published: Oct 15, 2015
Author: Dylan Byers
Post Date: 2015-10-15 16:16:08 by Justified
Keywords: None
Views: 2272
Comments: 12
Wayne Simmons, a recurring guest on Fox News who claimed to have 27 years of experience with the CIA, was arrested Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about his service. Simmons is accused of falsely claiming that he worked as an "outside paramilitary special operations officer" for the CIA from 1973 to 2000. On Fox, this was often shortened to "former CIA operative." He was also indicted for using that false claim to gain government security clearances and an assignment as a defense contractor, where he advised senior military personnel overseas. Simmons made his initial appearance in court on Thursday afternoon. If convicted, he could face up to 35 years in prison on charges of major fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements to the government. Simmons is a familiar face to Fox News viewers. After the arrest was announced on Thursday, Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti told CNN that he "was never a contributor for Fox News," and that he appeared on the network only as a non-paid guest. She therefore declined to comment further. Simmons' web site describes him as a "terrorism analyst" for Fox and a consultant to various government entities. While it is unknown how often Simmons has appeared on television over the years, Fox's web site lists dozens of appearances and quotes, usually labeling him a former CIA "operative," "analyst" or "officer." The indictment is a red flag for every television network that relies on the input of analysts based on their supposed credentials. The news industry comes to trust individuals as "specialists" in part because of their own self-promotion and past media appearances. In his appearances on Fox, Simmons regularly made extreme and factually dubious statements pertaining to terrorism and national security. Just this January, he claimed there were "at least 19 paramilitary Muslim training facilities in the United States." Simmons also claimed that waterboarding was not torture and accused President Obama of being a novice who lacked spine -- claims that were given greater credence because of the perception that he was a veteran CIA paramilitary officer. U.S. officials told CNN that there have been suspicions about Simmons's resume and U.S. government agencies have received calls about claims he made on his website about his past work. But because government security agencies generally do not comment on people who worked for them in certain capacities, that only served to fuel the perception that Simmons had a top-secret background. In a statement the CIA said it is "working closely with the Justice Department on this matter and we refer you to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for comment on the charges." The U.S. Attorney's Office said that along with the CIA-related fraud, "the indictment also alleges that Simmons defrauded an individual victim out of approximately $125,000 in connection with a bogus real estate investment." If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud counts, 10 years in prison on the major fraud against the U.S. counts, and 5 years in prison on the false statements count.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: All (#0)
Not sure what is going on here. Vendetta or scam?
Waterboarding is torture.
Looks like a cell of those Hillary/McCain "democratic rebels" (D&R party homegrown terrorists). Would you explain the above to us? Are you supporting Donald Trump? What does "free to vote second party" mean? Thanks
What does "free to vote second party" mean? No, he's a fraud helping Hillary or Marco Rubio/Jeb! to get elected. It means that you have a choice not to support Satan by voting for the D&R Party candidates. Voting for that party has failed for 150 years. It means that we really have only one party, and that we need a second party alternative to vote for. The worst thing you can do is to encourage evil by voting D&R Party. It's better to not vote, than to vote for Satan. The Machine doesn't like being deceived.
I'd like to see the dingbats in government that gave him those security clearances and positions without verifying his background get indicted,also.
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
But where is any indictment for Hillary Clinton?
Fur is murder. потому что Бог хочет это тот путь
We don't waterboard mink. If we were torturing the animals before we killed them for their fur it would be an issue, because fur is no longer necessary. By itself, though, fur is just an animal pelt, and we have the right to take animals and use them as we please, but we have no right to torture them. We have no right to torture other humans at all. Those who do it, commit very grave evil. Those who do it and who do not recognize the evil, and therefore do not repent of it, wake up in Hell. They should have known that all along. But if they chose to put their state idol in front of their obligations to the Law of God, too bad for them. Die in mortal sin, burn in Hell. Torture of another human being is a mortal sin.
Nice expose. A lot of FNC's "experts" are dicey like this guy.
Well, he was constantly calling Obama, "The Boy King," so I'm sure they were looking for dirt. Note to self: If I am going to go on national TV and denigrate a think skinned asshole like Obama, I will make sure I'm not falsely claiming to be a CIA operative. Obama has played at being a president while enjoying the perks … golf, insanely expensive vacations at tax-payer expense. He has ignored the responsibilities of the job; no plans, no budgets, no alternatives … just finger pointing; making him a complete failure as a president
#2. To: Justified (#0)
#3. To: Justified (#0)
(Edited)
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#4. To: hondo68 (#3)
The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
#5. To: BobCeleste, *The Two Parties ARE the Same* (#4)
(Edited)
Are you supporting Donald Trump?
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#6. To: Justified (#1)
#7. To: Justified (#0)
#8. To: Justified (#0)
The U.S. Attorney's Office said that along with the CIA-related fraud, "the indictment also alleges that Simmons defrauded an individual victim out of approximately $125,000 in connection with a bogus real estate investment."
#9. To: Vicomte13 (#2)
Waterboarding is torture.
#10. To: SOSO (#9)
Fur is murder.
#11. To: Justified (#0)
#12. To: Justified (#1)
Not sure what is going on here. Vendetta or scam?
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]