<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Former FBI analyst Mark Tolson was sentenced this Friday to seven days in jail and a $500 fine for accessing the email account of Jack Burkman &#8211; the conservative lobbyist who attempted a smear campaign against former FBI Director Robert Mueller last year. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“I did what I did to try to protect Director Mueller,” said Tolson, who lost his job over the incident. “I’m terribly sorry.&#8221;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Tolson accessed the account through his wife, who previously worked for Burkman and knew his passwords. The couple printed out &#8220;emails of interest” and contacted a reporter when</span><span class="s1"> they discovered Burkman’s plans to publicly accuse Mueller of sexual assault. The reporter refused to publish the illegally-obtained emails. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“You can’t just rummage through other people’s accounts,” said US District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. “This is actually a very serious offense…You’re lucky. Your wife is lucky. The government could have prosecuted her as well.”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Brinkema added a word of praise for the journalist who refused to publish Burkman&#8217;s emails: “I would commend whoever the media people are who turned it down,” he said. “You’re actually probably lucky you didn’t get an unethical media person.”</span></p>
<p>During the trial, a<span class="s1">ssistant US Attorney Alexander Berrang recommended prison time for Tolson based on the fact that he attempted to take his information to the press rather than the FBI. </span><span class="s1">The move also seems to be related to Tolson’s wife’s belief that Burkman owed her money.</span></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>To matter what the motive, this story is a key example of FBI arrogance. Mark <span class="s1">Tolson believed he had the authority to v</span><span class="s1">iolate Burkman’s constitutional rights just because he was a member of the FBI, and he deserves a far greater punishment than seven days in prison. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Law enforcement has extraordinary power and therefore requires extraordinary discipline and extraordinary punishment when those powers are abused. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><em><span class="s1">Tolson, 60, will serve his short prison sentence after the holidays, followed by a year of probation and 50 hours of community service. </span></em></p>
<p><strong>Editor&#8217;s note:</strong> The use of government special powers to spy on a private citizen without a warrant is intolerable. This many should be many years in jail for abusing his authority and violating Burkman&#8217;s Constitutional rights. He should be used as an example to let the FBI know that it, itself, is not above the law.</p>