FBI Director Kash Patel is claiming credit for the controversial and likely “politically motivated” indictment of former FBI head James Comey.
Patel, who has faced MAGA criticism for his performance, particularly for botching an arrest announcement hours after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, trumpeted the Justice Department’s charging of Comey as a victory for the FBI—and for him.
“Career FBI agents, intel analysts, and staff led the investigation into Comey and others,” he posted to X on Friday. “They called the balls and strikes and will continue to do so.”
He continued by attacking those characterizing Comey’s indictment as an act of political retribution against an opponent of President Donald Trump. President Barack Obama appointed Comey to lead the FBI in 2013, and he was fired by Trump in 2017.
“The wildly false accusations attacking this FBI for the politicization of law enforcement comes from the same bankrupt media that sold the world on Russia Gate—it’s hypocrisy on steroids,” he said. “Their baseless objections tell us now, more than ever, that we are precisely over the target and will remain on mission until completion. Thank you to this brave FBI team.”
Comey, 64, was officially indicted Thursday on charges of making a false statement to Congress and for obstruction of a congressional proceeding.
The allegations, which he denies, stem from a congressional hearing in 2020 where he discussed his FBI probe into Trump’s first presidential campaign. His indictment arrived just days before the five-year statute of limitations on the charges was due to expire.
Democrats argue the indictment—which was the subject of internal DOJ pushback, including the resignation of a U.S. attorney overseeing the case—reeks of misuse of power by the Trump administration.
A source within the DOJ told MSNBC that not every official at the department is in lock-step with the administration. A source working under Bondi said that Comey’s indictment is “among the worst abuses in DOJ history.”
Like Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced backlash for her performance this year, particularly her handling of the so-called “Epstein files” and the sex trafficker’s rumored client list, which she initially said was on her desk but now claims does not exist. As of last week, Bondi polled as the least-liked member of the Trump Cabinet.
Bondi, 59, also joined the FBI director in taking a victory lap for indicting Comey.
“No one is above the law,” Bondi said Thursday. “Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts.”
While his sycophants celebrate, Trump has already expressed worry that Comey will not end up in prison. He raged that the random judge assigned to handle Comey’s case was an appointee of President Joe Biden.
“There is no way he can explain his way out of it,” Trump wrote in a Friday morning rant posted to Truth Social. “He is a Dirty Cop, and always has been, but he was just assigned a Crooked Joe Biden-appointed Judge, so he’s off to a very good start.”
Meanwhile, Patel has attempted to spin his department’s recent wins—at least, in the eyes of the president—as proof that he is making his FBI the most “transparent” in the bureau’s history. Just don’t remind him about the still-not-released Epstein files.
“This FBI is continuing to deliver on our promise of ultra transparency,” he posted on X, responding to a post about FBI agents supposedly becoming “woke” and anti-conservative. “The only reason you have answers is because we are finding and producing materials exposing corruption at record levels. Thank you to the men and women @FBI once again delivering for the American people.”
The post Keystone Kash Pleads for Credit for Comey Indictment appeared first on The Daily Beast.
