Donald Trump's pick for deputy FBI director is under MAGA fire, and lashing out in "unprecedented" ways, according to observers.
Dan Bongino, who walked away from his lucrative job as a far-right podcaster and apologist for the president to accept the job of deputy FBI director, has recently come under fire from MAGA and has been forced to defend himself from his own allies.
On Saturday, he sought to firm up support among his base in a statement condemning the recent conduct of former FBI Director James Comey.
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"As the Deputy Director of the FBI, I am charged, standing with Director Patel, with managing the most powerful law enforcement agency in the world. The Director and I are also responsible for looking at grave mistakes made by people within the FBI in the past, and ensuring they never happen again. And while the FBI does not have primary investigative responsibility for investigating threats against the POTUS, and we do not make prosecutorial decisions, we do have the ability and authority to support other federal agencies for violations of federal law. And we certainly have a responsibility to comment on matters involving former FBI officials, and allegations of law-breaking. That said, former FBI Director James Comey brought shame to the FBI badge, yet again, this past week," Bongino wrote. "The Director and I spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning up messes left behind by former Director Comey. And his latest actions are no exception. As I’ve stated in the past, I cannot post openly about all the things the Director and I are doing to reform the enterprise, but I assure you, they are happening."
He continued:
"Sadly, many of those agenda items are the result of former Director Comey’s poor decision making and atrocious leadership. And to those who doubt me, I assure you, when you see what the Director and I see from the inside, it’s even worse. I’m addressing this now, rather than on our interview with Maria Bartiromo tomorrow, because we recorded that interview earlier in the week prior to the incident with Comey."
NBC News reporter Ken Dilanian commented, "Leaving aside the truth or falsity of this post, the partisanship and rancor on display here is unprecedented in the modern history of FBI leadership."
"Of course, it’s also unprecedented to have a deputy director who is a political appointee and not a career agent," he added.
General Mike Flynn also weighed in, saying, "Wray was no better."
"He was either complicit with the culture Comey created or he exacerbated it. I believe all the above. The job you guys have is monumental but don’t let anyone leader off the hook. Yes, Jim Comey is a rotten SOB, but Wray and Mueller before Comey allowed this premier LE bureau to fall into collapse. Best of luck and God speed," Flynn wrote.
Former national politics reporter Zachary Petrizzo said, "MAGA is mad at Bongino again."
"This time, over not taking action against those behind the '86' postings— so he’s left trying to explain that the FBI does 'not make prosecutorial decisions,'" Petrizzo added.