Kash Patel has never been a popular pick as FBI director, even among some on the right.
He had pitched numerous conspiracy theories in the past, and his support for J6 defendants was a major problem for many.
Now, after what some are calling a series of fumbles regarding the Charlie Kirk murder investigation, the knives are out, and Patel's enemies are pouncing.
When Dems attacked Patel as unqualified to run the FBI, I did not agree.
While I did question the wisdom of tapping Patel to serve as the agency's director, I also believed that his resume was more than adequate for the position.
Among those calling his credentials into question at the time of his nomination was Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who stated, "These actions have political retribution written all over them, and it will get worse if Kash Patel is named FBI director.”
Patel defended himself, "The FBI will not go backwards. There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI should I be confirmed.”
I think the criticism of Patel during the early hours of the Kirk investigation was wrong, period.
I know a lot of people in law enforcement, and they applauded Patel for quickly recognizing they did not have the right person in custody and for moving the investigation forward to track down the alleged shooter in fewer than 48 hours.
For instance, when Patel said they had a prime suspect in custody, then later announced the the individual had been cleared and released, Fox News’ Laura Ingraham responded, “Unreal.”
Conservative activist Chris Rufo added that it was "time for Republicans to reassess" Patel’s fitness as FBI director.
There have been rumors floating around for some time that Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi are not really fans of one another, and that narrative really gained momentum amid the Kirk investigation.
Once source close to administration claimed, "The White House, Bondi, Blanche have no confidence in Kash. Pam, in particular, cannot stand him. [Todd] Blanche either.”
Donald Trump has fully stood behind Patel to this point, and considering how much criticism he took for selecting him to run the FBI, I don’t see the president buckling on the issue now.
As I noted above, I am not really a fan of Patel's, but thus far, he is doing his job. I just don’t see the most recent criticism as warranted as it relates to the Kirk case. It took him all of 33 hours to snag an assassin who appeared to have gotten away clean. I would actually applaud Patel for his transparency during this investigation, not criticize him for it.
