(C) Common Dreams
This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Kash Patel Confirmed as FBI Director: A Dangerous Step Toward Political Repression and Retaliation [1]

[]

Date: 2025-02-20 20:13:16+00:00

The confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI Director marks a dangerous transformation of American democracy’s guardrails into its gallows. The Senate has elevated a man who celebrates political revenge to command the nation’s top law enforcement agency, authorizing what may become the most comprehensive weaponization of justice in American history.

“Patel’s confirmation is a clear signal that federal law enforcement will be weaponized for political revenge,” said Wendy Via, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE). “His own words lay out the blueprint—silencing critics, dismantling oversight, and punishing those he deems enemies. This is authoritarianism, not justice.”

Patel’s history of promoting conspiracy theories, targeting journalists, and vowing political retribution underscores his intent to erode democratic guardrails. His infamous “enemies list” and threats to prosecute journalists now take on new urgency with the FBI’s vast investigative resources under his control. His embrace of QAnon, a movement the FBI itself has labeled a domestic terrorism threat, further highlights the gravity of his appointment.

“A man who signs books with QAnon slogans, promotes political vengeance as entertainment, and openly threatens the press is now in charge of the FBI,” Heidi Beirich, co-founder of GPAHE warned. “This is not a minor shift in leadership—it’s a profound reshaping of law enforcement into a tool for political control.”

Patel’s vision for the FBI mirrors an authoritarian playbook. His plan to disperse 7,000 headquarters employees across the country masks a strategy to disrupt existing chains of command and install parallel reporting structures answering to political appointees. His multiple defamation lawsuits against media outlets, though ultimately dismissed, reveal a pattern of using legal mechanisms to intimidate critics.

With Patel at the helm, the FBI is no longer an independent institution dedicated to upholding justice. It has become a weapon in a broader strategy to suppress dissent and reshape American governance in Trump’s image. As democracy crumbles under the weight of extremism, Patel’s record signals that federal law enforcement will no longer serve the rule of law—it will serve the political ambitions of those in power.

For a deeper analysis of Kash Patel’s background and the implications of his confirmation, visit his profile on our Resist Authoritarianism page and read our latest report on his appointment.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://globalextremism.org/post/kash-patel-confirmed-as-fbi-director/

Published and (C) by Common Dreams
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0..

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/