Like many Americans, I’ve always had a fascination with the FBI. From NCIS and White Collar, to Catherine Coulter’s FBI thriller novels, I devoured copious amounts of media as a young adult about the top federal law enforcement agency in the US. I loved stories about the ultimate “good guys” who were tackling the most insidious criminals. While politicians squabbled and grasped for power, FBI agents were keeping Americans safe—countering terrorism, combatting corruption, and taking down organized crime.
The mission of the FBI is to “protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.” As its website says, the FBI’s values of “respect, integrity, accountability, leadership, diversity, compassion, fairness, and rigorous obedience to the Constitution…should be incorporated into everything we do.” It would seem to follow then, that the director of the FBI would uphold that mission and embody those values. The FBI director should have loyalty solely to facts and justice, not a President or party.
Unfortunately, that is not the case for the nominee that will be interviewed by the Senate this month. Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, is a lawyer with a varied professional background turned influencer. He worked in the first Trump administration and over the last four years he launched a personal “swag” brand of t-shirts and water bottles emblazoned with his logo, wrote a children’s book centering conspiracy theories, and has jumped on every Qanon and right-wing podcast he could.
He’s firmly in Trump’s pocket, calling himself a “member of Trump’s army” and ranting that Biden “rigged” the election, while promising to “come after” supporters of Biden. He spouts conspiracy theories, has a mistrust of the justice system, and has raised money for legal fees in support of January 6th rioters. His paranoia and sense of righteous retribution runs deep, and he often fantasizes on Steve Bannon’s podcast how he will pay back those who have wronged Trump.
I find Patel’s promises concerning, considering the role of the FBI director is to uphold justice and prosecute criminals, not be in anyone’s army or have a deeper loyalty to individuals than to the Constitution or common good. Patel’s blind fidelity to Trump should concern every American, especially given his promises to use the FBI as a tool to prosecute his perceived enemies, including journalists. With the FBI at his disposal, he would wield a powerful law enforcement and surveillance tool.
Is our privacy as Americans to be put on the chopping block while the FBI enacts retribution against anyone Patel suspects to be a political enemy? Will child predators, drug cartels and terrorists walk free while he’s distracted by personal vendettas? Do we trust Patel to respect our civil rights and do his constitution-ordained job? Or will he just weasel his way into profiting from his position and protecting Trump’s billionaire friends?
It wasn’t that long ago that former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, the man who could intimidate sitting presidents with his secret files and spied illegally on U.S. citizens, ran rampant with power. During his time as director, Hoover was found to have routinely violated both FBI policies and the very laws which the FBI was charged with enforcing. He used the FBI to harass and sabotage anyone he deemed a political enemy, and to illegally spy on public officials and citizens alike. His actions were precisely why Republicans and Democrats came together to make the FBI a nonpartisan, non-politically motivated agency. While many reforms have been made to check the influence of the FBI, the Director still holds an immense amount of power.
Yes, Patel’s K$H logo scarves are silly, but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous. He has built a thriving social media following using tactics that the FBI should eschew—manipulation, deceit and indecency. Whatever his professional experience, Patel has used it to discredit legitimate investigations into election interference, engage in bizarre and petty payback, and even violate international agreements and damage foreign alliances. He has a history of politicizing national security. His confirmation would erode trust in law enforcement and weaponize the agency against political opponents.
Appointed officials are not able to be held accountable in the same way that elected officials are, so the confirmation of their nomination must be considered all the more carefully. We don’t need a general for Trump’s army, we need someone to uphold the rule of law. Senator Curtis, don’t confirm Kash Patel. Utahns deserve someone dedicated to truth and justice, not their own brand.
