New FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly ordered the switch of 500 staff from Washington, D.C. to the bureau’s Huntsville facility at Redstone Arsenal.
Patel, who was confirmed as FBI director on Thursday, vowed to extend the manpower on the Huntsville facility.
“Four thousand seats still remain open so let’s go to work. I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats absolutely,” Patel informed Alabama U.S. senator Katie Britt at his affirmation listening to.
The dean of Alabama’s congressional delegation, Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, praised the transfer.
“It’s great to see that new FBI Director Patel is already making good on his promise to move more FBI jobs to North Alabama,” Aderholt tweeted Friday night. “I hope to see more moves like this with other agencies.”
Britt had requested and Patel promised to go to the FBI facility, which sits on a website inside the 38,000 acres at Redstone Arsenal.
“I really want you to come and visit with me the state-of-the-art facilities that we have there,” Britt informed Patel.
“They’re pretty incredible…we have the ballistics research facility, the hazardous device school…the terrorist explosive device analytics center…we have the sprawling North and South Campus of the FBI.”
Alabama Sens. Britt and Tommy Tuberville voted in favor of Patel’s affirmation on Thursday.
Tuberville responded to Friday’s developments by tweeting a selfie with Patel and U.S. Lawyer Common Pam Bondi:
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