Kash Patel: From Prosecutor to Political Controversy
Kash Patel’s rise as a significant player in the political arena was not immediately apparent in his early career. Initially, he was a composed and reflective federal prosecutor and a national security attorney at the Justice Department. However, his demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation after he became engaged in the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. A senior national security colleague who worked with Patel during this period noted this significant shift.
At first, Patel was hesitant about stepping into a role that would ultimately change his views on the FBI. A fortuitous introduction by a mutual acquaintance connected him with Republican Congressman Devin Nunes shortly after Donald Trump’s election, which was marred by allegations of Russian interference. As the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Nunes was gearing up to scrutinize how the FBI was handling the politically charged inquiry into Moscow’s actions during the 2016 campaign.
Recognizing Patel’s background in terrorism cases and his experience as a legal liaison with the Joint Special Operations Command, Nunes extended an invitation for Patel to join the Russia investigation. According to his memoir, “Government Gangsters,” Patel initially turned down the offer, intending instead to join the National Security Council. However, Nunes’s persuasive arguments convinced Patel that his participation would lead to a role in Trump’s White House.
Ultimately, Patel accepted Nunes’s proposal and, within a year, worked alongside South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy to draft the controversial “Nunes memo.” This document outlined the questionable justifications the FBI utilized to obtain a secret warrant to surveil Carter Page, a minor foreign policy advisor for Trump’s 2016 campaign, who was suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence.
As Patel delved into the investigation, he expected to uncover significant evidence against Page within the FBI’s warrant applications. Instead, he found a heavy reliance on dubious opposition research memos that were funded by Clinton supporters and written by former British MI6 agent Christopher Steele.
Patel’s critical assessment of the FBI’s actions wasn’t unique. In December 2019, the Department of Justice’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, reported 17 instances of misconduct related to the warrant process, emphasizing “serious performance failures” by the involved agents and supervisors.
While Horowitz did not find evidence of political bias behind the FBI’s missteps, Patel grew convinced that darker motives were at play. He believed that the “Russia Gate scandal” revealed the operations of “government gangsters” within the FBI, employing tactics of entrapment and extortion akin to organized crime, as he elaborated in his writings. This conviction not only solidified his critical stance against the FBI but also drew him closer to Trump.
After the inspector general’s report was released, Nunes kept his promise, leading to Patel’s appointment to the National Security Council, where he eventually achieved his ambition of becoming the senior director for counterterrorism. In his memoir, Patel recounted how his initial meetings with Trump in the Oval Office were overshadowed by awe, but they soon developed into a robust relationship that surpassed typical expectations. A senior official noted that Patel earned a reputation for bypassing traditional channels within the White House, establishing “a direct line” to Trump.
This direct access could hold considerable significance for Trump. If Patel secures Senate confirmation, the individual who penned a book detailing his concerns about political interference at the FBI may usher in a new era of politically charged actions. Trump has indicated plans to utilize the Department of Justice to target his political adversaries. Patel has voiced intentions to overhaul the top tier of the FBI and has suggested relocating its headquarters outside Washington, D.C. Furthermore, he has hinted at pursuing actions against journalists.
Nevertheless, Patel’s confirmation is not guaranteed. Current FBI Director Christopher Wray, appointed by Trump in 2017, has nearly three years remaining in his ten-year term and would need to either resign or be dismissed for Patel to assume the role.
Skepticism about Patel’s capacity to lead the 10,000 special agents at the FBI, who are tasked with protecting the public from terrorism, organized crime, political corruption, and foreign threats like those from China, persists within the Senate. Trump’s former Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, criticized Patel in his memoir, alleging that he endangered a SEAL Team Six mission to save an American hostage in Nigeria by falsely claiming to have received Nigerian government approval before it was granted. Additionally, when Trump aimed to appoint Patel as deputy FBI director during his first term, then-Attorney General Bill Barr reportedly opposed the move strongly. Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine has expressed a desire to hear Patel testify publicly before making any decisions and intends to review his FBI background check.
