Republican former government officials urge Senate to reject Patel nomination

A group of Republican former government officials is urging senators to reject Kash Patel’s nomination to lead the FBI, saying his confirmation would 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 provided 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 people, including multiple former Justice Department officials from the Nixon and Reagan administrations and both Bush administrations, including Philip Allen Lacovara, a former Watergate prosecutor, and former acting Attorney General Stuart Gerson.

Former GOP Reps. Barbara Comstock (Va.) and Joe Walsh (Ill.) also signed the letter.

It also includes former associates of President Trump, including his former lawyer Ty Cobb and former Pence aide Olivia Troye, now outspoken critics of the president.

The letter recaps a series of concerns about Patel, describing him as “motivated by revenge.”

Patel has written a book called “Government Gangsters” that includes an appendix in which he lists numerous Democratic officials with that same label, a group he later said must 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 House select committee that investigated the attack 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 said in a statement.

“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.”