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Maddow Blog-Why Dan Bongino's comments about combatting corruption were so head-spinning
The FBI’s deputy director delivered a message to politicians who are “screwing around”: “We’re coming for you.” It'd be great if that were true. It's not.
The FBI’s Dan Bongino said corrupt politicians should be afraid of the bureau. That sounded good, but...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-06-05T17:23:14.206Z
- the FBI is ignoring Trump’s corruption
- Trump is rewarding the corrupt with pardons
- Trump’s FBI and DOJ have systemically made corruption more likely, not less www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/dan-bonginos-comments-combatting-corruption-head-spinning-rcna211167
Three months into his odd tenure as the FBI’s deputy director, Dan Bongino doesn’t appear to be enjoying his work at the bureau. The former right-wing provocateur and podcaster nevertheless remains at his post, and made some curious comments about the FBI’s work during his Wednesday night interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
When the host asked about a specific ongoing matter, Bongino had the sense to avoid answering directly, which obviously would've been inappropriate given his position. That said, the guest did appear eager to comment on the FBI’s approach to allegations of public corruption. He told viewers:
Bongino went on to say that politicians who are “screwing around” should know: “We’re coming for you.”.....
The evidence to bolster the thesis is overwhelming. It was just a few weeks ago, for example, when the FBI shut down its squad that handles investigations into members of Congress and fraud by federal employees. It was part of a breathtaking recent pattern:
The Trump administration has never explicitly said that it’s tolerant of corruption, but given the circumstances, it didn't really have to.
As for Bongino, we're left with the question of whether the FBI deputy director was simply unaware of current events or whether he was hoping those who watched the interview were unaware of current events.
Link to tweet
When the host asked about a specific ongoing matter, Bongino had the sense to avoid answering directly, which obviously would've been inappropriate given his position. That said, the guest did appear eager to comment on the FBI’s approach to allegations of public corruption. He told viewers:
I want to say this: You know, the FBI obviously has the public corruption portfolio and yes, if you are a corrupt politician out there, if you are engaged in behavior — you know what you’re doing — we’re going to find you. I promise. No one is going to get off. The days of selecting and putting your, you know, partisan bias on and taking care of your friends. Those days are over. You know what, Sean? I don’t have any friends. I don’t want any friends. ... I didn’t come here to make friends. I don’t give a damn about friends. I don’t have any friends. I don’t want any friends.
Bongino went on to say that politicians who are “screwing around” should know: “We’re coming for you.”.....
The evidence to bolster the thesis is overwhelming. It was just a few weeks ago, for example, when the FBI shut down its squad that handles investigations into members of Congress and fraud by federal employees. It was part of a breathtaking recent pattern:
Trump’s Justice Department gutted its Public Integrity Section, which oversees prosecutions of public officials accused of corruption.
The president ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Trump fired at least 18 inspectors general who were responsible for rooting out corruption.
Trump fired the head of the federal agency dedicated to protecting whistleblowers.
Trump’s Justice Department abandoned a corruption case against Eric Adams.
A Trump-appointed interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., demoted multiple senior supervisors who were involved in, among other things, public corruption cases.
Trump’s Justice Department abandoned a criminal case against a former Republican congressman who’d already been found guilty of corruption by a jury. That came on the heels of Trump’s Justice Department also taking steps to abandon a criminal investigation into a different Republican congressman accused of corruption.
The Trump administration has never explicitly said that it’s tolerant of corruption, but given the circumstances, it didn't really have to.
As for Bongino, we're left with the question of whether the FBI deputy director was simply unaware of current events or whether he was hoping those who watched the interview were unaware of current events.