Patel pushes back on budget cuts for FBI

When Kash Patel took the job as FBI Director, he had a vision, and thus far, he has stuck to that vision.

He is ridding the agency of rogue elements and getting the FBI back to doing what it does best, but now he is pushing back against budget cuts and going directly against Donald Trump.

Moving Agents

One of the first things Patel did after being confirmed was announce that he was going to move about 1,500 workers out of the DC offices.

The FBI stated, “Director Patel has made clear his promise to the American public that FBI agents will be in communities focused on combating violent crime.

"He has directed FBI leadership to implement a plan to put this promise into action.”

Trump had Patel’s back from the outset, stating, “I think he’ll go down as the best ever at that position,” further claiming that “agents love this guy.”

Big Arrest

Patel has announced some big arrests since taking office, and he did it again this week while Congress is working out the plan for next year’s budget.

This week, the DOJ announced that the FBI had arrested more than 200 child sex abuse offenders over a five-day sting operation.

Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims – especially child victims – and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us. I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

Patel added, “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

Can’t Do It

I will be the first to admit that on the surface, Patel seems to be doing a great job with the FBI, but now he says that cannot continue if Trump gets the budget that he is asking Congress for, which significantly trims the FBIs operating costs.

Patel stated that the FBI cannot do its mission if $545 million is trimmed from the budget, adding, “At this time we have not looked at who to cut. We are focusing our energies on how not to have them cut, by coming in here and highlighting to you that we can’t do the mission on those 2011 budget levels.”

The White House notes on the budget stated, “The Budget reflects the President’s priority of reducing violent crime in American cities and protecting national security by getting FBI agents into the field by cutting FBI D.C. overhead and preserving existing law enforcement officers.” Patel countered that he would like to see an $11.1 billion budget.

I have always been a believer in the FBI, even with all the rogue activity over the last few years. I say this because I personally know past and present FBI agents and I know they want to do their jobs. I tend to lean into Patel’s request at this time, as I think if we truly want him to turn the agency around, we have to give him the tools to make that happen. At the very least, he deserves one year of a full budget to make that happen. He wants that rope, and I say we give it to him.