Danny Schechter - ColdType

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“Because we measure the effectiveness, we measure our
effectiveness by the comfort level of our victims. And in order
to increase your comfort level, we have to build walls of false
integrity around us. For instance, while I was a crook – and I
may still be a criminal today because you’ll never know, but
the point is, while I was a crook – I used to walk old ladies
across the street, too. I used to give monies to charities. I used
to help people out in social causes. But did that make me any
less of a crook? I built a wall of false integrity around me.”
He went on to explain the obstacles and challenges a prosecutor
faces when he or she goes after a white-collar criminal.
“Our laws – innocent until proven guilty, the code of ethics
that journalists like you abide by, okay, limit your behavior and
give the white-collar criminal freedom to commit their crimes,
and also to cover up their crimes. We have no respect for the
laws. We consider your codes of ethics, your laws, weaknesses
to be exploited in the execution of our crimes. So the prosecutors,
hopefully most prosecutors, are honest if they’re playing
by the set of the rules; they’re hampered by the illegal constraints.”
I pressed him on the matter of crimes committed by institutions.
We are all familiar with individuals committing crimes,
but institutions can also commit crimes.
He replied: “You’re talking about institutionalized crime.
You’re correct. What the white-collar criminal tries to do is
– they don’t make it that any single act is a crime in of itself,
or an obvious crime in itself. What they do is they basically
spread it out and set up different companies, different, uh, different
transactions.”
I suggested another potential problem for prosecutors, the
law itself requires, in white-collar crimes, that you show intent.
I wanted to know whether this is easy for the criminals to use
to their advantage, a tool to get them off.
He expanded on this matter: “There’s a saying: You can’t