During his confirmation hearing, President Trump's FBI director nominee Kash Patel pledged to end the 'targeting' of Americans by the government, particularly in cases related to citizens who were under scrutiny by the Biden administration for religious reasons. GOP Senator Josh Hawley raised concerns about the FBI attempting to recruit spies or informants from religious institutions, specifically Catholic parishes. Patel stated that he did not believe it was appropriate for the FBI to engage in such activities.
Hawley further questioned Patel about a memo that listed Catholic churches and parishes as potentially suspect and directed the recruitment of informants into those places. Patel committed to withdrawing the memo if confirmed and conducting an investigation to identify those responsible for its creation and dissemination.
Hawley emphasized the importance of upholding Americans' First Amendment rights and holding accountable those who abused their positions at the FBI. Patel assured Hawley of his commitment to investigating such matters and ensuring accountability within the agency.
The exchanges between Hawley and Patel underscored concerns about political corruption within the FBI and the need to address abuses of power. Hawley expressed disbelief at the targeting of people of faith and the subsequent denials by FBI officials. He emphasized the importance of restoring the public's trust in the FBI and upholding the rule of law.
In a related development, President Trump announced plans to pardon pro-life activists convicted under the FACE Act during the Biden administration. The pardons are expected to apply to activists protesting near abortion clinics. Additionally, Senator Mike Lee introduced legislation to dismantle the FACE Act, citing concerns about its misuse against pro-life groups and Christians.
