The Senate confirmed Kash Patel as FBI director on Thursday, appointing a man with a history of controversial statements who Democrats accuse of directing a purge of bureau employees.
Patel was confirmed with a 51-49 vote. Two Republicans, Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), voted against confirmation.
Patel has stated that on his first day in office, he will “shut down” the FBI headquarters and transform it into a “museum to the deep state.”
He has alarmed Democrats by including a list of “government gangsters” in his book of the same title.
And Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Patel “likely committed perjury” when he denied having knowledge of FBI firings that occurred the next day.
Durbin, in a lengthy floor speech, called Patel “vindictive,” “dangerously politically extreme,” and warned Republicans “will come to regret this vote, probably sooner rather than later.”
“I can not think of a worse choice than giving this man a ten-year term as director of the world’s leading criminal investigation agency. You want the person with that job and the power to destroy people simply through investigation to have some temperament and judgement,” Durbin said. “Kash Patel shows just the opposite.”
FBI directors are confirmed for a 10-year term, but Patel was nominated shortly after President Trump was reelected, indicating that the returning executive intended to fire former FBI Director Christopher Wray before the end of his term in 2027.
Patel, a former public defender, started his political career as a staffer for then-House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).
Patel played an important role in attempting to undermine the committee Democrats’ investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia. This included writing a report analysing the FBI and Justice Department responses to their respective investigations into Russian election interference.
That experience also inspired him to write a series of children’s books, with a synopsis mentioning “a sinister cabal” that “plotted to overthrow a president,” while Patel “reveals how we can defeat the Deep State, reassert self-government, and restore our democracy.”
Democrats have accused Patel of being chosen based on his loyalty rather than his skills.
Durbin referred a whistleblower tip to the Justice Department inspector general, claiming it demonstrates Patel has already taken steps to exact retribution, citing the dismissal of senior career FBI leaders.
The Justice Department has since requested a detailed list of all FBI employees who were involved in the more than 1,500 cases filed against those involved in the Capitol storming on January 6, 2021.
Collins cited a purge of FBI staff as part of her rationale for not supporting Patel, saying that, along with his history of politically charged statements, it “cast doubt on Mr. Patel’s ability to advance the FBI’s law enforcement mission in a way that is free from the appearance of political motivation.”
Murkowski did the same.
“My reservations about Mr. Patel stem from his previous political activities and how they might influence his leadership. The FBI must be trusted as a federal agency dedicated to combating crime and corruption, not settling political scores,” she wrote on social media platform X during the vote.
“I have been disappointed that when he had the opportunity to push back on the administration’s decision to force the FBI to provide a list of agents involved in the January 6 investigations and prosecutions, he failed to do so.”
Most Republicans, however, see Patel as the right person to turn around an FBI that they accuse of being politicised and weaponised against them.
“At the heart of their opposition is a fear that he will behave as Democrats did when they were in power. These Democrats are concerned that the FBI, under Mr. Patel’s leadership, will use lawfare against political opponents, as it has done against President Trump and others,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said in a pro-Patel speech Wednesday night.
“After reviewing Mr. Patel’s record and listening to his testimony at his hearing, I am convinced that the Democrats’ concerns are unfounded.” Mr. Patel’s leadership will not be the same as previous administrations, when the FBI — the people on the seventh floor, not the local agents — was used for political weaponization.
Patel held several national security positions during the first Trump administration, including at the Department of Defence, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the National Security Council.
However, he frequently clashed with other members of Trump’s team; Democrats repeatedly cited criticism of Patel from former Attorney General Bill Barr and national security adviser John Bolton, both of whom have since become frequent Trump critics.
Since leaving the Trump administration, Patel has appeared on a number of right-wing podcasts and established a foundation that raises funds for charity alongside a group of jailed Jan. 6 defendants who sold a recording of themselves singing the national anthem.
Patel denied involvement in the matter during his confirmation hearing, despite previously bragging about helping the group record and distribute the track, including on social media.
It was one of several instances in which Patel dodged or demurred when questioned about previous controversial statements.
“We gave Mr. Patel numerous opportunities to explain and withdraw his threats. He chose not to, nor did he attempt to explain his alleged Deep State list of former government officials,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Thursday.
“He repeatedly misled the committee, dodged questions and claimed ignorance, claiming he could not recall what he would said just a few months before. Why would you want someone in the FBI who can not remember what they said only a few months ago? “This is irresponsible at best and deceptive at worst.”
