The FBI went rogue a very long time ago. J. Edgar Hoover was a law unto himself, and everyone in political life was a potential victim. His violations of civil rights were a national disgrace. Throughout his 48 years as director, he broke the law routinely. Like his insufferable successor, James Comey, he believed he answered to "a higher authority" -- his own conscience. These are delusions of grandeur. The FBI has degenerated into one of the greatest threats to American liberty. These people think they're above the law.

In fact, they are merely criminal investigators, acting at all times under the direction of a U. S. Attorney. Every DA in the country has law enforcement officers whom he tasks with investigating crimes. They're called cops. FBI agents are just federal cops.

FBI Associate Director Mark Fell, playing the role of Deep Throat, took down a duly elected President of the United States, Richard Nixon. Comey and his gang tried to do the same thing to President Trump, but they couldn't pull it off. Now Trump is back, and he's loaded for bear. His appointee, Kash Patel, will have the President's unwavering support as he goes after this rot root and branch. Every civil libertarian in the country should back him 100%.

It's true that he doesn't have extensive service with the Department of Justice. That's not a bug, it's a feature. He's not part of the club. There are thousands of perfectly fine FBI agents who work for the Bureau. Patel just needs to find them and promote them.

It wasn't that long ago that the most zealous champions of American civil liberty were on the Left. No more. They have succumbed to the totalitarian impulse hiding in many a liberal heart, and they should be ashamed of themselves.

This is not a Trump thing. It's restoring the rule of law.

Fritz Pettyjohn was a Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Ketchikan, Alaska.

Image: Gage Skidmore