Senate Advances Controversial Pick for FBI Director Amid Bipartisan Tensions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines on Thursday to advance the nomination of Kash Patel as FBI director, despite Democratic concerns about his loyalty to President Donald Trump and his handling of investigations into political opponents.

The vote moves Patel’s nomination to the full Senate, which is currently controlled by Republicans. A timeline for the final confirmation vote has not yet been established, but past nominees with uncertain prospects have generally received sufficient support due to party alignment with Trump’s agenda.

Patel, who has minimal management experience compared to previous FBI directors, has raised eyebrows for denouncing investigators scrutinizing Trump as “government gangsters” and referring to certain individuals charged in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as “political prisoners.”

During his confirmation hearing last month, Patel addressed accusations that his statements were taken out of context. He suggested that shutting down the FBI headquarters in Washington to turn it into a museum for what he described as the “deep state” was misunderstood, and he dismissed claims that his book containing a list of government officials entailed an “enemies list” as a “total mischaracterization.”

Patel would take charge of an FBI currently grappling with internal strife, following the unexpected departures of several senior executives and concerns over its investigations related to the January 6 events. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin claimed undisclosed sources indicated that Patel was involved in the firing of agents despite Patel’s testimony to the contrary. A Patel spokeswoman labeled these allegations as “gossip” meant to promote a “false narrative.”

Democrats criticized Patel as a dangerous choice and an inexperienced candidate, warning he could misuse the FBI’s law enforcement powers. “This is a guy whose judgment is beyond questionable. It’s appallingly bad,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. He cautioned, “Mark my words: this Patel guy will come back to haunt you.” Durbin also echoed similar sentiments, warning that confirming Patel could lead to a “political disaster.”

Republicans, however, defended Patel, arguing that he is crucial for reforming an FBI they claim is biased in its investigations into Trump. “The American people are sick and tired of two tiers of access, tiers of treatment and two tiers of justice,” said GOP Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. “During the Biden years, this was writ large in the acts of the DOJ and the FBI.”

Senator Ashley Moody of Florida remarked that even though Patel “might not have served in the upper echelons of the FBI, aren’t we asking this agency to set a new course? Don’t we want a nontraditional candidate at this moment in time, with extensive federal experience?”

A former Justice Department prosecutor, Patel first garnered attention during Trump’s presidency while working on the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, investigating alleged ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign. He later served as a counterterrorism official at the National Security Council and as chief of staff at the Defense Department.