Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Thursday cast doubt on Pam Bondi's ability to keep FBI nominee Kash Patel in check, warning on MSNBC that Patel could independently start investigations. Blumenthal suggested Bondi would struggle to say no to any Trump demands, jeopardizing her independence.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who was a guest on MSNBC on Thursday morning, brought up the possibility that Donald Trump's choice to head the FBI might easily go rogue on his putative employer if he decides to prosecute the president-elect's adversaries. Blumenthal made this statement during his interview on MSNBC.
Blumenthal was asked about his questioning of attorney general nominee Pam Bondi while he was speaking with the co-hosts on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." He was quick to respond by saying that he did not have faith in her capacity to resist any demands that Trump would make of her.
Adding to that, he mentioned that if Bondi and Kash Patel are both confirmed, she would be his employer, but she would also have limited authority to control him. This was something that he mentioned.
"We should also just note that Pam Bondi yesterday said she wasn't aware of any Kash Patel enemies list," co-host Jonathan Lemire instructed his guest. "Again, he wrote it down, it's actually in his book there in the black and white. So let's let's spin this forward a little bit then: from what you heard from attorney general candidate Bondi, do you have confidence on two things? Do you have confidence that first, she will be able to rein in Kash Patel? And secondly, the question you just posed, would she say no to Donald Trump?"
Blumenthal retorted by claiming that he has absolutely no faith whatsoever that she will be able to limit Kash Patel's freedom of movement and that the director role is meant to be independent. He continued by stating that she has few resources to control him, and that he is able to initiate investigations without even alerting her office that he has intentions to conduct them, The Raw Story shares.
Second, in regard to her level of autonomy. He believes that this is the most important question, and he is not certain that she will refuse to put Donald Trump ahead of the American people. His reasoning is that she must be the lawyer of the people, and she must tell the truth to those in power.
