Dear John

We took a stand and stopped Matt Gaetz from becoming Attorney General because we knew how dangerous he was to national security. Now, Donald Trump is doubling down with another reckless choice: Kash Patel for FBI Director.

Patel has no law enforcement credentials, only an extremist agenda and a deep loyalty to Trump that rivals Nixon’s most infamous operatives. His nomination is a clear threat to democracy, and the Senate must reject it outright.

Here’s what makes this pick especially alarming: Patel has repeatedly signaled his intent to transform the FBI into a weapon for Trump’s personal vendettas. On Steve Bannon’s podcast, he outlined plans to prosecute journalists, trampling over First Amendment protections:

“We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government, but in the media. Yes, we’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We’re going to come after you. Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out. But, yeah, we’re putting you all on notice.”

Statements like this reveal Patel’s willingness to erode press freedoms and intimidate dissenters. Just a handful of such actions could silence journalists and skew public understanding of critical issues. The chilling effect is already noticeable -- the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post already cancelled their campaign endorsements of Kamala Harris to avoid Trump’s threatened retribution.

Let’s take a stand for justice, accountability, and the integrity of our law enforcement. Kash Patel is utterly unfit to lead the FBI. Tell the Senate to reject his nomination now.

Patel’s loyalty to Trump goes beyond attacking the press. He has vowed to reshape the FBI into a tool for political retribution, protecting January 6th insurrectionists while targeting Trump’s critics. This kind of authoritarian overreach would devastate the FBI’s credibility and erode trust in our justice system.

His troubling track record doesn’t stop there. Patel has spread conspiracy theories, from false claims about the 2020 election to endorsing QAnon. He even promoted a dubious anti-COVID pill marketed as an “mRNA detox,” containing nothing more than turmeric, green tea, and vitamin D, with no FDA approval in sight.

If that weren’t enough, Patel’s self-aggrandizing children’s book series, The Plot Against the King, reduces serious political issues to propaganda, featuring himself as a heroic wizard and Trump as the besieged “King Donald.”

The dangers of Patel leading the FBI cannot be overstated. Trump has already targeted the current FBI Director, Christopher Wray, for overseeing the Mar-a-Lago search. Patel would use the agency to settle scores and protect Trump’s allies.

The FBI needs a leader who respects the rule of law -- not someone whose only allegiance is to Donald Trump. Patel’s history of undermining democratic principles and spreading disinformation makes him one of the most reckless choices imaginable for this role.

We can’t let this happen. Tell the Senate to reject Kash Patel’s nomination and protect the integrity of our justice system.

Thank you. Together, we can defend the principles of accountability, fairness, and equal justice under the law.

-DFA AF Team