President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration ran into opposition from conservatives who say the lawman is a COVID-19 lockdown enforcer.
Opponents on the political right pointed to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office’s arrest of Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne in March 2020 for holding a church service in violation of lockdown rules.
Mr. Howard-Browne was arrested on two second-degree misdemeanors for unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules.
The Libertarian Party of Mississippi posted on X below the announcement of Mr. Chronister, “Trump’s nominee for DEA arrested a pastor for having the audacity to…checks notes…hold church service.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, responded to the Mississippi Libertarian Party’s statement by saying Mr. Trump’s DEA pick should be excluded from being nominated to lead the DEA based on the arrest of the pastor.
“I’m going to call ’em like I see ’em. Trump’s nominee for head of DEA should be disqualified for ordering the arrest of a pastor who defied COVID lockdowns,” Mr. Massie wrote on X.
However, Mr. Howard-Browne wrote Mr. Massie and Mr. Trump a letter on Sunday endorsing the nomination. He and Mr. Chronister have reconciled since the arrest, he wrote, adding that they have remained friends for “many years through good times and challenges.”
“I truly believe he acted with the intention of doing the right thing, and I’ve witnessed first-hand how he has learned and grown from those experiences,” Mr. Howard-Browne wrote. “Shortly after my arrest, Sheriff Chronister called me and told me he truly missed our friendship. We met for dinner at my house and we were able to restore the friendship we had, one I will always cherish.”
Mr. Howard-Browne said Mr. Chronister would be the “ideal candidate to lead the DEA.”
The DEA is a branch of the Justice Department. In 2023, DEA seized over 80 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and almost 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. The 2023 seizures are equal to over 390 million lethal doses of fentanyl. The 2024 fentanyl seizures represent over 349 million deadly doses.
The DEA has over 10,000 employees, with locations in the U.S. and over 60 foreign countries, and a budget of over $3 billion.
In announcing his choice to run the DEA, Mr. Trump said Mr. Chronister would work with his attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, “to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border and SAVE LIVES.”
Mr. Chronister said in response on social media that the nomination was an “honor of a lifetime” and that he was “deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation.”
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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