DeSantis: FBI and DOJ are not ‘independent,’ Republican president must use ‘proper oversight’

HILLSDALLE, Mich. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis decried the notion that the FBI and DOJ are “independent” governmental agencies, which his campaign described as a “mainstream talking point.”

The governor appeared on the Larry P. Arnn Show.

“There’s always been an assumption, for example, that agencies like the DOJ and FBI are quote ‘independent,'” he said. “That’s like, Washington speak. ‘Oh, these are, these are independent, the president can’t be involved in those agencies.'”

“What they’re saying is they think they should be unaccountable,” DeSantis said. “So these are the agencies that can imprison you, arrest and imprison you and they shouldn’t be accountable to the one person elected in that branch? Give me a break.”

Continuing, the governor said a Republican in the White House should exercise proper control over the agencies, both of which are part of the executive branch of the U.S. government.

“I think Republican executive in particular, you know, you’ve got to be exercising proper oversight and holding those agencies personally accountable,” he said. “You can’t just say that they’re independent and hands off, you can’t do anything. That’s not the way the system is designed.”

The governor elaborated, saying it’s important to not abuse political power.

“Yes, is it appropriate for an elected executive to say, ‘FBI I don’t like this person you go?’ Of course not, that’s an abuse of power,” he said.

“But, it’s wholly appropriate to go bring in the FBI director and say, ‘Hey, wait a minute, all these BLM rioters – how come none of them have been held accountable? How come you’re going after these people and not these people?'” he said. “You absolutely could do that and you should do that.”

“And if they don’t have a good answer, the FBI director should be fired and you should put someone else in there.”