John Washington III Condemns Threat Against FBI Director Kash Patel and Says Government Must Answer to the People

John Washington III condemned threats of violence against public officials on Saturday, responding to the case of a Michigan man charged with allegedly threatening to kill FBI Director Kash Patel. "America, we have a serious problem, and it goes much deeper than one man threatening an FBI director," he wrote.

He drew a clear distinction between dissent and threats. Every American has the right to challenge their government, criticize elected officials and speak out against corruption, he wrote, but "there is a big difference between standing up for your rights and threatening someone's life." He said he does not support threats, violence or intimidation against anyone — "whether they're an ordinary citizen, a police officer, an FBI director, or the president of the United States."

John Washington III then turned to the question of trust. When citizens become frustrated with their government, "we should be asking why," he wrote — why so many Americans are losing trust in the institutions created to serve and protect them. Government is supposed to work for the people, he wrote, not the other way around — and he said he does not support "a government that expects respect without accountability," adding that nobody should be above the law, including the people enforcing it.

His answer, he wrote, is to protect freedom of speech, uphold due process, demand transparency and hold public officials accountable without resorting to violence. "The answer is not to threaten the government. The answer is to make the government answer to the people," he wrote, saying the American people deserve a government they can trust — not one they fear or feel powerless against.