FBI nominee doesn’t understand the job

Trump’s appointee for the FBI, Kash Patel, has an “enemies list” that he wants to prosecute. Many of them on that list have been lifelong Republicans who served in Trump’s first administration but have turned on him for his efforts to encourage the rioters of Jan. 6. They do not see those rioters as “patriots” but as violent criminals who should have been and have been jailed. The rioters were not “tourists” as claimed by Tucker Carlson in a false attempt to diminish what took place on Jan. 6.

Patel never served for long in any position that he has had. He is lacking in executive experience and the temperament needed to hold such a position; and, those who served with him felt he was focused solely on serving Trump’s wishes not doing his actual job.

Prosecuting such a list would arguably be the first time in our history that a partisan list was used for prosecution. Dash Patel’s list will likely not stand up in court.

He is also promising that he will get rid of the FBI headquarters in D.C. and have all the agents there assigned to be outside it to go after criminals. It seems like he has no idea what is in that HQ. It isn’t a “deep state.” The FBI headquarters is designed to provide the assistance needed to bring nasty criminals to trial and conviction.

Patel intends to do nothing more than disrupt and destroy the effectiveness of the FBI. What good would that accomplish? Maybe make Trump happy, but not more than that. It would make it much more difficult to prosecute many criminal cases without the aid of the FBI. Former Trump AG Barr has said he wouldn’t appoint Patel to any significant position. We should honor Barr’s stance.

Arthur H. Pitz

Elmhurst