Maureen Steele accepts the trafficking-victim rationale but says the FBI wrote it too broadly: "Victims deserve mercy. Federal power demands character."
Maureen SteeleWriter and co-founder of the American Made Foundation, in a signed opinion column for California Globe
In a California Globe opinion column, writer Maureen Steele accepted the premise that trafficking victims coerced into bestiality should not be automatically barred from FBI employment, but argued the bureau achieved this by removing automatic disqualifiers wholesale instead of writing narrower language distinguishing coercion from willing participation. She wrote that a responsible policy could protect victims while firmly rejecting voluntary perpetrators, and called on the FBI to publish the complete policy with its definitions and safeguards.
“Victims deserve mercy. Federal power demands character.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Kash Patel defends FBI’s removal of automatic hiring disqualifiers for bestiality, prostitution, and employee theft
The FBI changed its hiring standards in 2026 to remove automatic disqualification of job applicants over past prostitution, employee theft, or bestiality/animal-cruelty history, first reported by CBS News on August 28, 2026. At a September 15, 2026 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel defended the change as intended to protect trafficking and abuse victims from disqualification, saying "we did not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked." Sen. Dick Durbin disputed that framing, saying the rule as written removes disqualification for "applicants who have engaged" in the conduct, not specifically victims. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe publicly called Patel’s rationale "not entirely believable."
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
An opinion column arguing that the FBI was right to protect coerced trafficking victims but wrong to do so by removing automatic disqualifiers wholesale rather than writing narrower language. It recounts Senator John Kennedy's questioning of Patel, notes that Patel conceded disbelief had been his own first reaction, and calls on the bureau to publish the complete policy with its definitions and safeguards.
Before the quotation
Patel had defended the change at a Senate Judiciary oversight hearing on September 15, drawing incredulous questioning from senators of both parties, and had said the previous rule automatically disqualified anyone who participated on either side.
After the quotation
The column notes Patel conceded that disbelief had been his own first reaction to the bestiality provision. The FBI had not published the complete revised policy at the time of writing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Steele accepts that trafficking victims coerced into the conduct should be protected, and argues the FBI wrote its change too broadly to separate them from voluntary participants. She calls on the bureau to publish the full policy, its definitions and its safeguards. Her column accepts protection for coerced victims while criticizing how the change was written.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Kash Patel
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“We are not 'relaxing hiring standards' - that is totally false... any applicant who has engaged in criminal sexual acts like those referenced would of course not be eligible for employment, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise.”Read statement
Wallace calls Patel's testimony "unbelievable," evidence of institutional decline
“unbelievable... just how far the FBI has fallen under the direction and leadership”Read statement
Josh Johnson mocks Patel's hearing answers: "these are the standards you're lowering?"
“You know things have gone off the rails when someone has to ask, what about the bestiality? … We are witnessing history here. This may be the first time ever someone's response to "what's up with the bestiality" is "thank you for bringing that up." … Like, these are the standards you're lowering? Maybe the new standard should be only needs to do 20 push-ups and not can't go to a petting zoo wearing gym shorts.”Read statement
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- Maureen Steele accepts the trafficking-victim rationale but says the FBI wrote it too broadly: "Victims deserve mercy. Federal power demands character."
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The Dispute Index. "Maureen Steele accepts the trafficking-victim rationale but says the FBI wrote it too broadly: "Victims deserve mercy. Federal power demands character."". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/1053-in-a-california-globe-opinion-column-writer-maureen