'I am appalled!' Ex-Obama aide lays into CNN GOP strategist's defense of shocking hire

Former Obama administration adviser Van Jones and GOP strategist Shermichael Singleton went head-to-head on CNN Friday over reports that Donald Trump is considering ousting Christopher Wray as chief of the FBI — a position Trump put him in in the first place — and installing Kash Patel, a hardcore partisan loyalist who has called for the arrests of journalists.

"Where are America's patriots?" said Jones. "You are now talking about people who are completely incompetent, who most Americans, who business owners would not hire to run a taco stand, being put in charge of the FBI ... this is a joke.

"This is an insult. even Republican voters should be insulted. America's government should be respected. It should be populated by people, who respect America's government, and who are competent. Kash Patel fails that test and would fail that test for almost any job in America."

Singleton defended the idea of appointing Patel, arguing the FBI has a history of terrorizing Black Americans and deserves to be turned upside down.

"Let's go over the history of the FBI, shall we?" he said. "The FBI investigated Dr. King for frivolous nonsense. The FBI even investigated the late singer Aretha Franklin. The FBI targeted members of [Black Lives Matter] ... the FBI does not have the greatest record in the world of representing and protecting all Americans. Maybe some Americans, but not Americans that look like Van and I. If you want to bring someone to challenge and get this place in order again, I would support that, even if it is Kash Patel."

But Van Jones snapped back.

"I am appalled to hear my brother saying this," he said.

"Yes, the FBI has done some bad things. There is not a single bad thing the FBI has done that Kash Patel would represent a great advance over ... at a certain point, yes, we want change, but change has to be done in a good way by responsible people, not in a bad way by incompetent people."

Jones continued, "Kash Patel would be more likely to investigate Black Lives Matter than anybody else. Kash Patel is more likely to be an enemy of Dr. King than anybody else. Kash Patel is not some great civil rights champion. You are not talking about John Lewis.

"... Kash Patel has no record on the stuff you're talking about. You are trying to dig up excuses for something inexcusable. This dude should not be in charge of the FBI. You know it as well as anybody else. This is Donald Trump risking Americans' safety ... you act like Christopher Wray is Ronald McDonald. He is a serious guy. Kash Patel is not."

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