Reading Between the Washington Lines
by DCDave

The staff director of the House Intelligence Committee who killed himself June 4 was under investigation by the committee, which oversees the U.S. government's most sensitive secrets, The Washington Times has learned.

WATCH OUT WHEN THEY BEGIN A STORY WITH XYZ NEWS ORGAN "HAS LEARNED." IT USUALLY MEANS AN OFFICIAL STORY HAS BEEN PLANTED WITH THEM, THOUGH IT DECEPTIVELY CONJURES UP THE IMAGE OF AN AGGRESSIVE NEWSHOUND FERRETING OUT SECRETS.

John Millis, 47, a former CIA operations officer who had been placed on administrative leave by the committee, was found dead at the Breezeway Motel in Fairfax City, Va., Police Chief Doug Scott said. Police ruled he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

IS THE CHIEF TELLING US THAT MILLIS HAD BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AS THE PASSAGE IMPLIES, OR IS HE JUST TELLING US THAT HE WAS FOUND DEAD AT THIS CHEAP HOTEL? GIVEN THE AMBIGUITY HERE, IT IS PROBABLY THE LATTER, WHICH COULD WELL MEAN THAT THIS STORY IS BEING PLANTED BY THE KILLERS THEMSELVES. DOES THIS REMIND ANYONE OF THE EARLY STORIES FROM ANONYMOUS SOURCES ABOUT VINCE FOSTER'S "DEPRESSION?" AND BY THE WAY, WHEN DID THE POLICE MAKE THEIR SUICIDE RULING IN THIS NEW CASE?

As committee staff director, Mr. Millis had access to the U.S. intelligence community's most intimate secrets. He knew about all U.S. covert action operations, which require written presidential notifications.

HOLY ****!

He also was privy to the most sensitive information collected by CIA agents, electronic eavesdropping and photographic satellites.

TALK ABOUT THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH!

According to police, Mr. Millis had called a friend and said he was distraught over being placed on administrative leave with pay by committee Chairman Rep. Porter J. Goss, Florida Republican. Mr. Millis also said he was facing administrative and criminal penalties as possible outcomes of the investigation.

NO, DON'T WRITE A SUICIDE NOTE AND SIGN IT, LEAVING NO DOUBT AS TO WHY YOU PLAN TO LEAVE A WIDOW AND FIVE ORPHANS. CONVENIENTLY CALL A "FRIEND" WHO AMOUNTS TO NOTHING MORE THAN AN ANOTHER ANONYMOUS SOURCE. FOR ALL WE KNOW, HE OR SHE DOESN'T EVEN EXIST. IF THE PERSON DOES EXIST, GIVEN MILLIS'S OCCUPATION, THE CHANCES ARE THAT THIS PERSON IS, AS THE SAY, IN THE "COMMUNITY," WHICH MEANS THAT HE COULD WELL BE IN LEAGUE WITH THE KILLERS OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, HE OR SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL LIAR AND DECEIVER.

The friend then dialed *69, the automatic call-back sequence, and was connected to the Breezeway Motel in Fairfax. The friend explained to the motel operator that Mr. Millis was threatening to commit suicide.

DOES THAT RING TRUE TO YOU? DIDN'T THINK SO. DO YOU THINK THE PUBLIC WILL EVER LEARN EVEN THE NAME OF THAT HOTEL OPERATOR?

Police were called and upon arriving found Mr. Millis dead in the bathroom.

WONDER WHAT THE HOTEL PERSONNEL WERE DOING ALL THIS TIME, KNOWING THAT THEY HAD A SUICIDAL GUY IN THEIR MIDST AND KNOWING THE PRECISE ROOM HE WAS IN? THEY WOULD AT LEAST HAVE HAD THEIR EARS PERKED UP FOR THE SOUND OF A GUN SHOT, ONE WOULD THINK.

Mr. Goss could not be reached for comment. The committee's staff and Mr. Goss' spokeswoman did not return several telephone calls seeking comment on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Millis' departure from the committee.

SO WHAT'S THE HASTE IN RUNNING THE STORY BEFORE IT HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT WITH THE PRINCIPALS INVOLVED IN IT? IT IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANY TIME-SENSITIVE EVENT LIKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE POLICE'S SUICIDE CONCLUSION. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO RUN IT UNTIL GOSS AND HIS STAFF CAN BE REACHED. WITH CHARGES LIKE THESE IN HAND REPORTER GERTZ SHOULD HAVE HIED HIMSELF DOWN TO GOSS'S OFFICE, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TOOK, AND NOT LEFT UNTIL HE HAD SOME DEFINITIVE WORD ON THIS MATTER.

However, several U.S. government officials said Mr. Millis was fired and that the investigation was related to improper activities by him.

HERE WE GO AGAIN, MORE COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS SOURCES. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS VERY LARGE, AND A NUMBER OF ITS EMPLOYEES THINK OF THEMSELVES AS OFFICIALS. BUT GERTZ COULD JUST BE MAKING THIS UP AND WE'D NEVER BE THE WISER.

Chief Scott said the investigation into his death was handled with extreme care in light of the case of White House Deputy Counsel Vincent W. Foster Jr., whose shooting death in 1993 was ruled a suicide. The investigation into Mr. Foster's death, however, left many unanswered questions and spawned conspiracy theories.

WELL THANK YOU, CHIEF SCOTT. ALL ALONG I WAS EXPECTING YOU TO TELL US THAT YOUR BOYS DID A SLOPPY JOB. SO NOW WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE THAT MAKES YOU SO COMPLETELY SURE THAT WE HAVE NO FOUL PLAY HERE.

Chief Scott said the detective who investigated Mr. Millis' death made sure there were no unanswered questions that might indicate a conspiracy, because of his CIA background and role as the committee staff director.

WE KNOW THAT JOHN ROLLA, ON HIS FIRST DEATH INVESTIGATION, WAS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE FOSTER CASE. SO WHAT DID THIS ANONYMOUS DETECTIVE DO TO MAKE SURE THEIR WERE NO UNANSWERED QUESTIONS?

"Our detective knew that going in," Chief Scott said. "That's why he was very careful in processing the scene and checking for anything that might be suspicious."

NOW THAT'S A RELIEF. FOR A MINUTE THERE I THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE FACED WITH ANOTHER QUICK IN AND OUT WITH NO QUESTIONING OF THE NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS SAME FORCE DID WITH TOMMY BURKETT'S MURDER CALLED SUICIDE. SEE THE BURKETT'S WEB SITE GLAD TO KNOW THEY WERE THOROUGH THIS TIME. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BET DR. JAMES C. BEYER DID A REALLY CAREFUL JOB ON THE AUTOPSY, TOO?

After Mr. Millis was found dead, FBI agents and Capitol Police were sent to the motel to look for classified documents, but found none. Security officials, however, recovered classified documents from a safe in Mr. Millis' home.

SHADES OF JERRY PARKS OR DANNY CASALARO. MAYBE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE DOCUMENTS THAT INCRIMINATED THE KILLERS.

An FBI spokesman said the FBI was not investigating Mr. Millis for unauthorized disclosures.

THIS SENTENCE IS PUT IN TO PLANT THE IDEA THAT THAT'S WHAT MILLIS WAS GUILTY OF AND TO GIVE YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT GERTZ ACTUALLY DID SOME LEG WORK ON THIS STORY.

Mr. Goss said in a statement at the time of Mr. Millis' death that he was stunned by the loss.

THAT'S "FORMER" CIA AGENT GOSS, NOW HEAD FOX IN CHARGE OF POLICING THE HEN HOUSE ON OUR BEHALF. DON'T EXPECT THIS PERSON TO BE REAL STRONG IN THE TRUTH DEPARTMENT, EITHER.

"It seems that there are always more 'whys' than there are answers when a tragedy like this occurs," Mr. Goss said. "It also seems that words alone are insufficient to alleviate the enormous pain we feel. John will be greatly missed by members and staff alike."

SOUNDS FAMILIAR

The statement made no mention that Mr. Millis was under investigation.

ALL THE MORE REASON TO GET A REAL PERSON ON RECORD BEFORE YOU RUN WITH IT.

CIA Director George J. Tenet said in a statement that "we in the intelligence community are shocked and saddened by this tragic loss. We worked closely with John for many years. He was a tenacious advocate for a strong national intelligence capability."

HOW CLOSELY THEY WORKED WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

Mr. Millis had publicly criticized former CIA Director John Deutch, calling him the worst director in the agency's history. During a speech at the Smithsonian Institution Feb. 15, Mr. Millis said Mr. Deutch inflicted "major damage" to the CIA's espionage branch.

SOUNDS LIKE THE SORT OF MAN WHO MIGHT HAVE HAD AN ENEMY OR TWO.

The criticism prompted some officials to speculate that Mr. Millis may have improperly disclosed information about an investigation of Mr. Deutch by the CIA's inspector general.

A TRULY FITTING END OF A LIKELY PLANTED STORY, A VAGUE REFERENCE TO ANONYMOUS SOURCES SPECULATING.