In just under three weeks, the political establishment demonstrated its speed and ruthlessness when it came to taking down former national security adviser Mike Flynn.  Freshly appointed and barely settled into his role, Flynn was the target of a coordinated sting operation that most now know was highly illegal.  Flynn was pressured into resignation and publicly humiliated.  Two months later, the out-of-power political class installed Robert Mueller as special counsel.

Mueller, in turn, tapped Rod Rosenstein — the very man who signed off on those dubious FISA warrant renewals that followed — to lead the charge.  Meanwhile, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in a display of weakness that still reverberates, recused himself, handing over control of a historic investigation to those with glaring conflicts of interest.  Rosenstein had far more reason to recuse himself than did Sessions.

The contrast between that rapid, calculated maneuver and the current behavior of Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel is striking — and troubling.  More than three months have passed since President Trump returned to the Oval Office, and despite bold rhetoric and carefully staged photo ops, neither Bondi nor Patel has delivered anything resembling real accountability for the entrenched criminal elements within the government.

This inaction has not been lost on Flynn, who is demanding that Bondi and Patel hold the Crossfire Hurricane conspirators accountable.

Instead, what we have is theater.  Bondi recently took to the podium to tout RICO charges against Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang whose brutality is undeniable.  Patel has taken to social media to amplify the announcement, touting the move as a major victory.  But to many in the America First base, this all rings hollow.  It is not that these actions are unimportant, but rather that they are insufficient.  They are misdirected energy, falling far short of the kind of justice that was promised.

The people who orchestrated the lawfare against Flynn, who signed off on fake dossiers and falsified warrants, who ran political hit jobs under the guise of national security investigations — these are the individuals still enjoying power, prestige, and protection.  And yet, Bondi and Patel have yet to announce serious investigations, let alone indictments, against the very actors who tried to undermine the constitutional order.

January 6 defendants, many of whom continue to suffer under what they see as political persecution, are not keeping quiet about this double-standard, either.  They were promised justice.  They were promised that the real criminals who weaponized government institutions against private citizens and political opponents would be held accountable.

Today, those promises are increasingly taking on the appearance of empty rhetoric.

Meanwhile, the FBI is putting out press releases celebrating the capture of ten of America’s most wanted criminals and boasting of massive narcotics seizures.  Although these victories serve some purpose in law enforcement, they also serve another: distraction.  They are shiny objects meant to obscure the absence of any meaningful progress in draining the swamp.

And also to run out the clock.

Then there is the case of Seth Rich — a mystery that hovers like a ghost over the nation’s conscience.  Attorney Ty Clevenger recently sent a blistering letter to Bondi and Patel, questioning their lack of initiative in uncovering the truth behind Rich’s death.  To date, there has been no sign that either official is taking this matter seriously.

And let us not forget the Epstein files.  Bondi, who was positioned as a fearless prosecutor with a track record of taking on powerful interests, has yet to release critical documents relating to one of the most explosive scandals in American history.  The public, who anticipated a parade of elites tied to Epstein’s black book, is still waiting.

Bondi and Patel were not handed easy jobs.  That much is true.  But they were not handed ordinary mandates, either.  They were entrusted with the sacred task of restoring justice and rooting out corruption at the highest levels of government.  To date, their performance suggests either a lack of will or a surrender to the forces they were appointed to confront.

The swamp has not been drained.  In fact, it seems to be winning.  For all the talk of law and order, of restoring constitutional norms and holding the powerful accountable, Bondi and Patel have thus far delivered little more than symbolic gestures.  RICO charges against foreign gangs, drug busts, and social media bravado will not suffice.

What the country needs — what justice demands — is the courage to go after the most pressing enemies of the republic.  Until Bondi and Patel demonstrate that they are willing to do that, they are not change agents.  They are placeholders.  And the swamp reminds them every day who really runs the show.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/04/time_for_pam_bondi_to_get_a_move_on.html