1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I’m deeply concerned about the incoming Republican’s administration decision to fire Christopher Wray and replace him with Kash Patel as the director of the FBI. It’s profoundly dangerous—not just because Patel is unqualified and has suggested he’d like to dismantle large parts of the agency, but because firing a Senate-confirmed FBI director so that the president can replace him with a loyalist will create a constitutional crisis. While FBI directors are typically appointed for 10-year terms to insulate the agency from political influence, the director can still be removed by the president. The 10-year term is designed to provide stability and independence, but it is not absolute protection against removal. The FBI director is supposed to be insulated from politics. Presidents from both parties have consistently respected this precedent. Trump’s intention to reinvent the FBI as an instrument of personal presidential power is outrageous and unacceptable. The Senator needs to speak out against it loudly and refuse to cooperate.