Senate Committee to Vote on Kash Patel's Nomination for FBI Director
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Kash Patel's nomination for FBI director after a contentious confirmation hearing. Patel faces allegations from Democrats but pledges to maintain integrity and transparency at the FBI.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the Democrats' actions during the confirmation hearings for Kash Patel, a nominee for FBI director, on 'Hannity.' The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on advancing Patel's nomination to the Senate floor on Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.
Patel's committee vote was previously delayed by Democrats who sought to have him testify again, despite him having already provided over five hours of testimony and thousands of pages of documentation to the panel.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, called the attempts by Judiciary ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., "baseless."
This week, Durbin claimed Patel was behind mass firings at the FBI, citing "highly credible" whistleblower reports. An aide to Patel denied these allegations, stating Patel had returned home to Las Vegas after his testimony and was awaiting further proceedings.
Patel, known for his opposition to the investigations into President Donald Trump, asserted he would not engage in political retribution during his confirmation hearing. He expressed that there would be no politicization at the FBI.
Addressing concerns about intelligence agency actions, Patel stated he found it unfeasible to require warrants for surveilling U.S. citizens suspected of national security involvement, emphasizing the necessity of protecting American citizens.
Patel also distanced himself from Trump regarding the pardons issued for those involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, expressing a strong rejection of violence against law enforcement.
Having served in various national security roles during Trump's administration, Patel has articulated a vision for the FBI focused on law enforcement and transparency, pledging to strengthen collaboration with local police and improve responsiveness to congressional inquiries.
