A bunch of Republican former authorities officers is urging senators to reject Kash Patel’s nomination to guide the FBI, saying his affirmation can be “a grievous mistake.”
“Confirming Patel would be a grievous mistake that would endanger the FBI’s integrity and compromise its critical mission,” they wrote in a letter offered to The Hill.
“The FBI is a cornerstone of our justice system, tasked with defending our nation against threats both foreign and domestic. Its director must be a person with strong ethics, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to enforcing the law. Kash Patel has repeatedly demonstrated that he is not this person.”
The letter was signed by 23 individuals, together with a number of former Justice Division officers from the Nixon and Reagan administrations and each Bush administrations, together with Philip Allen Lacovara, a former Watergate prosecutor, and former appearing Legal professional Normal Stuart Gerson.
Former GOP Reps. Barbara Comstock (Va.) and Joe Walsh (Unwell.) additionally signed the letter.
It additionally consists of former associates of President Trump, together with his former lawyer Ty Cobb and former Pence aide Olivia Troye, now outspoken critics of the president.
The letter recaps a collection of considerations about Patel, describing him as “motivated by revenge.”
Patel has written a guide known as “Government Gangsters” that features an appendix through which he lists quite a few Democratic officers with that very same label, a bunch he later mentioned have to be held “accountable.”
“Patel has said he will close FBI headquarters on his first day in office and convert it into a so-called ‘Deep State museum.’ He has also threatened to criminally investigate members of the J6 committee,” they wrote, referring to the Home choose committee that investigated the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“He has repeatedly vowed to go after individuals on perceived enemies lists. This is a vision of the FBI as an authoritarian weapon for pursuing his and Trump’s grievances.”
A Trump transition official defended Patel’s background.
“Mr. Patel was a public defender, decorated prosecutor, and accomplished national security official that kept Americans safe,” they mentioned in an announcement.
“This is about stopping violent crime, stemming the fentanyl crisis, and enforcing the law against criminals so Americans can have safety and security. That’s what Kash Patel will do.”
