World
India
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to move forward with Kash Patel’s nomination to lead the FBI, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. Patel’s nomination was approved with a 12-10 vote.
The decision comes amid serious allegations from Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, who accused Patel of orchestrating a shake-up within the FBI despite not having the authority to do so. Durbin claims he has “highly credible information” suggesting that Patel issued directives to remove senior FBI officials even though he has not yet been confirmed for the role. This contradicts Patel’s testimony during his confirmation hearing.
Durbin described Patel’s alleged actions as “beyond the pale” and called for an investigation. The senator sent a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, outlining the allegations and asserting that Patel may have committed perjury during his hearing. The letter, first reported by The New York Times, claims that Patel acted as if he already held the FBI Director position and gave orders to dismiss senior officials.
“Although Mr. Patel is President Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, he remains a private citizen with no current role in government,” Durbin said. “It is unacceptable for a nominee to take such unauthorized and potentially illegal actions against senior FBI leadership.”
Durbin further alleged that Patel’s directives were enforced by senior Trump administration officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Acting Attorney General Emil Bove.
A full Senate vote on Patel’s nomination is expected in the coming weeks. If confirmed, Patel would take over the FBI during a period of significant leadership transition. Durbin warned that Patel’s appointment could be part of a broader effort to purge officials viewed as disloyal to former President Trump.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley of Iowa defended Patel, arguing that he had been subjected to unfair attacks. “The FBI has fallen back into outdated patterns and is long overdue for major reform. Mr. Patel is the right person for the job, and that’s why he’s being attacked so harshly,” Grassley said, according to Politico.
Patel’s nomination follows Trump’s decision to replace former FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump had appointed during his first term. Wray’s tenure had become a point of contention after the FBI searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022 as part of an investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump and his allies have since accused Wray of turning the agency against him.
Also Read: BJP’s Clear Inability To Govern In Manipur’: Rahul Gandhi On President’s Rule In Manipur
