Senate Democrats delayed a key vote to advance the nomination of Kash Patel on Thursday, essentially nudging consideration of President Donald Trump’s FBI director nominee into next week.
As reported by the New York Post, on Thursday morning Dems who serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee moved to place a hold on Patel.
Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, acknowledged the panel minority's right to do so under committee rules.
“This is an unusual nomination, and it’s a 10-year nomination,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the ranking Dem on the panel.
Patel, in confirmations hearings last week, vowed to restore public trust in law enforcement by cutting in half U.S. drug deaths, homicides and rapes. President Trump and his supporters have maintained that under the Biden administration, agencies like the FBI were weaponized to target the political right.
In his comments, Durbin insisted Patel contradicted himself under oath over his involvement in producing a song recording of jailed Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioters. The Post said Durbin also claimed that Patel “was part of this lionization of these thugs who took over the Capitol.”
Democrats maintain Patel, 44, is too radical to lead the bureau — pointing to Patel’s past statements and writings on the need to overhaul U.S. intelligence agencies by firing their “top ranks."
He has also been accused of having a political enemies list he aims to pursue, as described in his 2023 book “Government Gangsters” about an enemies list to be pursued in a second Trump administration.
“I read his book start to finish, and I can tell you he doesn’t have the temperament for the job,” Durbin said Thursday.
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