The Trump loyalist who once falsely claimed officers responding to the January 6th attack were “cowards in uniform” should never lead the FBI, according to a recent statement by Senator Dick Durbin.
He [Mr. Patel] is a staunch political loyalist who has repeatedly peddled false conspiracy theories and threatened to retaliate against those who have slighted him personally and politically…
Trump has repeatedly tried to bend the FBI Director to his political agenda. He fired his first FBI Director, Jim Comey. He forced out his second FBI Director, Chris Wray, when he refused to do his bidding. Now he’s nominated a proven loyalist in Kash Patel. In a 2019 meeting, Patel reportedly told President Trump in the Oval Office that he wanted to expand his portfolio to ensure White House personnel were ‘completely loyal to the administration.’
Sen. Durbin
The Democratic Minority Whip also sent letters to multiple agencies demanding records pertaining to “all relevant materials related to Mr. Patel’s alleged misconduct… Mr. Patel has held several previous roles in the Executive Branch as a civil servant and a political appointee at DOD, ODNI, DOJ, and the White House National Security Council (NSC). In each role, Mr. Patel has faced accusations of either misconduct or conspiracy with another official during his tenure.”
Multiple respected figures have also expressed grave concerns about Kash Patel‘s qualifications, including William Webster—the only American in history to lead both CIA and FBI. Patel was also recently caught lying about his role in the Benghazi investigation.
What about Mr. Patel’s plans for the FBI? … He said he wants to ‘shut down the F.B.I. Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’ And he has said, ‘We’re going to come after the people in the media … We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. … we’re putting you all on notice.’ This is the man who wants to head up the FBI and I’m quoting exactly what he said. He’s even published an enemies list of 60 people who he calls ‘government gangsters.’ … Does this sound like the resume of a person who should lead Federal Bureau of Investigation?
Sen. Durbin
