Marcy Wheeler Criticizes Democrats for Ignoring Kash Patel’s Role in Trump’s Classified Documents Case
(Photo: Marcy Wheeler, author and editor)
National security expert Marcy Wheeler has criticized Democrats for failing to address the significant role that Kash Patel, a Donald Trump nominee, allegedly played in the mishandling of classified documents. Trump, along with two aides, faces multiple felony charges for improper handling of sensitive materials, while Patel’s actions and potential involvement remain under scrutiny.
Trump’s judicial appointee dismissed the case against him not on evidentiary grounds but on the appointment of the special counsel overseeing it. As the Second District Court of Appeals considers whether to uphold the decision, Patel’s name continues to surface in relation to key events surrounding Trump’s handling of classified materials.
Patel, who Trump reportedly intends to nominate as FBI director in his second administration, has also been accused of crafting an “enemies list” to target critics of Trump and himself, according to Slate. Meanwhile, Wheeler expressed frustration with Democrats for focusing on social media debates about Attorney General Merrick Garland’s inaction instead of addressing Patel’s role.
“A key prong of the investigation into Trump’s treatment of the documents found at Mar-a-Lago involves disproving Kash’s public claim — made just before DOJ subpoenaed the documents — that Trump had declassified everything,” Wheeler said during an appearance on the Talking Feds podcast with Harry Litman.
She recalled Patel’s earlier comments suggesting that Trump took documents related to the Ukraine impeachment and the classified “Crossfire Hurricane” binder, reportedly provided to reporters in the final days of his presidency. Patel defended Trump’s actions, claiming, “It’s information that Trump felt spoke to matters regarding everything from Russiagate to the Ukraine impeachment fiasco to major national security matters of great public importance.”
However, Wheeler noted discrepancies in Patel’s narrative, referencing court exhibits from United States v. Trump that challenge his claims. “What Kash said in his immunized November 2022 testimony didn’t show up in either of the Florida indictments. We don’t know whether he backed off his unsworn comments or whether his testimony was debunked by others,” Wheeler stated.
Patel’s actions may also surface in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into January 6. Wheeler pointed to Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s (R-GA) remarks that Patel refused Trump’s directive to deploy 10,000 troops for January 6, describing it as insubordination. Wheeler suggested this could provide Democrats leverage in Patel’s impending confirmation battle, potentially swaying some Republican opposition.
As Patel’s involvement in these high-profile cases comes under increased scrutiny, Wheeler emphasized the importance of Democrats addressing his role to navigate the political and legal complexities ahead.
