FBI director Kash Patel has been accused of shaking up things at the agency to such an extent that FBI agents have been forced out, demoted, and put on leave with no explanation and Patel is forcing employees to take lie-detector tests — to weed out leaks. The New York Times reported that the purging has been so widespread that the agency does not have enough experienced agents. Deputy director Dan Bongino reacted to the report and said no amount of hit pieces on him and Kash Patel can stop the purgation that they have taken up. “The latest NY Times piece is another failed attempt to slow us down. The Director and I are making important personnel changes at the FBI. As I stated on this platform yesterday: ‘The accountability process is ongoing as we move disciplined, and focused, leaders into critical positions in the field. And, we are removing employees who have violated their oaths, and those who invited partisanship into the workplace. The process is ongoing, and will not stop.’ I want to emphasize the “will not stop” portion of my post. There’s no amount of leaks, or media hit pieces, that will stop the Director and I from making absolutely NECESSARY reforms. None,” Bongino posted on X. The report said Kash Patel has disbanded the Washington field office squad which was investigating Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Some other officials who dealt with Hunter Biden’s laptop investigation have been put on leave with pay. One FBI lawyer was removed from a key role overseeing human resources and notified while on medical leave, the NYT reported. Others have been forced out of their jobs with no explanation. “A succession of top agents, all women, were given an ultimatum: Take a different post or be asked to retire,” the report said. Kash Patel has made some exceptions to fill these roles, elevating assistant special agents to the top spot at field offices. In one case, Patel brought back a retired senior agent.
