The Fall of the FBI

BOOK REVIEW
The Fall of the FBI: How a Once Great Agency Became a Threat to Democracy
by Thomas J. Baker 2022

About the Author
Thomas J. Baker has over thirty-three years of investigative and management experience as an FBI Special Agent. He has experience with police management and training issues, having served as a management instructor at the FBI academy.

His international experience is extensive. He served as the Legal Attaché in Canberra, Australia, and Paris, France. He was the American security representative to the Calgary Winter Olympics and was commended by the Canadian government for his role in the event.

As the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, he was one of the first agents on the scene of President Reagan’s shooting; Tom directed the FBI’s initial response to that crisis.

Tom has a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, a MPA in Police Science from John Jay College, and he completed the Senior Command Course at the Police Staff College in Bramshill, England.

About the Book
“Tom Baker is a legend in the FBI: the first agent on the scene of the Reagan assassination attempt, wizened veteran of hundreds of other criminal cases, large and small. When he writes on the calling and compromise of the FBI’s institutional culture, as in his frequent commentary for the Wall Street Journal and here, in The Fall of the FBI, Baker commands unrivaled authority—and the undistracted attention of all patriots who care whether the United States remains a nation of laws.” — James Rosen, chief White House correspondent for Newsmax, author of The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate

“Tom Baker, a retired FBI agent who enjoyed a wide-ranging and successful career, describes the chaos that led to the decline of the FBI in recent years. The Fall of the FBI is both entertaining and informative and centers on the turmoil that has engulfed the FBI. Baker sheds light on Director Bob Mueller’s disastrous culture change and Director Jim Comey’s failed leadership in the Russia Collusion case.” — Joe Wolfinger, former FBI Assistant Director, author of Rico: How Politicians, Prosecutors, and the Mob Destroyed one of the FBI’s Finest Special Agents

“An interesting and insightful look into the FBI. This book will give the reader a better understanding of the inner workings of the FBI and integrity of some Agents and the lack of it in other Agents. A very powerful read.” — Joe Pistone, former FBI agent, author of Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia

An FBI veteran explains how the Mueller–Comey cabal turned the FBI from a “swear to tell the truth” law-enforcement agency to a politicized intelligence organization.

Americans have lost faith in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an institution they once regarded as the world’s greatest law-enforcement agency. Thomas Baker spent many years with the FBI and is deeply troubled by this loss of faith. Specific lapses have come to light and each is thoroughly discussed in this book: Why did they happen? What changed? The answer begins days after the 9/11 attacks when the FBI underwent a significant change in culture.

To understand how far the Bureau has fallen, this book shows the crucial role played by the FBI and its agents in past decades. It was quite often, as the reader will see from these firsthand experiences, a fun-filled adventure with exciting skyjackings, kidnappings, and bank robberies. At the same time, the reader will see the reverence the Bureau had for the Constitution and the concern agents held for the rights of each American.

This book is not mere memoir—it is history. From the shooting of President Reagan and the death of Princess Diana to the TWA 800 crash and even getting marching orders from St. Mother Teresa, Baker’s story shows how the FBI has played a pivotal role in our country’s history.