The FBI has removed a controversial two-minute video from its official X account following intense scrutiny and claims that the content violated the Hatch Act, The Hill reports. The video, which utilized a Michael Jackson beat, drew immediate criticism for targeting specific Democratic figures and candidates, including Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, by labeling them as part of a “defund the police crowd.”
The video was posted on Tuesday and quickly became a flashpoint for legal experts concerned about the use of federal resources for political messaging. It featured clips of various prominent Democrats such as former Vice President Kamala Harris, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Ilhan Omar, and former Representative Cori Bush. The production was set to the music of “Smooth Criminal” and included footage of FBI Director Kash Patel, including a sequence where he walks away from a helicopter alongside Attorney General Todd Blanche.
