Strzok firing a needed first step to restoring credibility and fairness to the FBI

The recent firing of FBI Agent Peter Strzok for bias and corrupt behavior marks the first viable step in the long road ahead to restore the credibility of the FBI. However there is much more that needs to be done.

Former FBI Director James Comey and Agent Strzok—along with former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and top official Lisa Page—have destroyed the FBI’s long-revered standing with the American public with their harmful rhetoric and political ideology that is not conducive to a fair and just trial. From text messages, to recordings, to book tours, it is abundantly clear that the only collusion occurring has been between Hillary Clinton and Russia.

{mosads}As the former top white-collar securities fraud investigator in the state of Indiana, I know firsthand that any appearance of impropriety and bias can cause a lack of confidence among the public. This type of behavior creates irrevocable harm and distrust to any investigation. Under our leaders at the FBI, we have gone through months of misguided and corrupt investigations buffered by inappropriate behavior by Strzok that could have been avoided if the FBI did not tolerate any appearance of impropriety. The firing of Strzok sends a loud clear message to the liberal elite and the Deep State who bends to this kind of behavior: political bias at the cost of justice should not ever be tolerated.

If the current FBI leadership is serious in restoring its integrity, they should take steps to re-align themselves with their mission statement: protecting and defending the United States against terrorists and foreign intelligence threats. We need the FBI that broke up organized crime, battled foreign intelligence agencies during the Cold War, and provided valuable assistance to state and local law enforcement, without bias and free of corruption. One of the ways for the FBI to show the American people that they are not influenced by any political bias is to implement a policy that prohibits its investigators from making donations to political candidates or parties. If the FBI refuses to do so, Congress has the duty to take action to protect the integrity of the FBI.

If the pushback to this proposed reform is that everyone has the right to free speech including who they want to donate to, that is an accurate assessment. However, what is also true is that you don’t have to work at the FBI or in a similar position that holds such a public trust and weighs so heavily on the public’s confidence.

President Trump deserves better. Congress deserves better. The American people deserve better. While the firing of Peter Strzok begins the process of damage control and the restoration of the department, it only represents the first step in what must be the final verdict—there is no evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. Each day this unlawful and erratic case remains open, we will continue to lose the trust of the American people.

Rokita represents Indiana’s 4th District.