WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Key Quotes:
“Mr. Patel has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead an agency of 38,000 [people] and 400 field offices around the globe. During the time I’ve served on this Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to consider four prior FBI Director nominations. Each one was a Republican, and I voted for all of them. So, my concerns about the Director of the FBI are not partisan.”
“As much as Republicans claim that President Biden and former Attorney General Garland weaponized the FBI, let’s look at the record: President Biden kept the FBI Director, a lifelong Republican who had been appointed by President Trump. Contrast that with President Trump, who fired his first FBI Director, James Comey, and forced out his second FBI Director, Chris Wray, for being insufficiently loyal. With Mr. Patel, obviously the President has found a loyalist.”
“Mr. Patel’s loyalty includes touting conspiracy theories and threaten[ing to go after President Trump’s enemies.] How do we know Mr. Patel’s theories? His beliefs, what motivates him, and what he really believes? He wrote it in a book. The book [is titled] Government Gangsters, and I urge all of you to read [it] before you cast a vote for [him]. In it, Mr. Patel has published an enemies list of 60 people who he calls, ‘members of the deep state.’ This list includes many distinguished public servants who have dedicated their lives to our nation.”
“Then there is Mr. Patel’s plan 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, [and] we’re putting you all on notice.’”
“Does this sound like the kind of nonpartisan, law enforcement professional who should lead the FBI? Not to me. This is someone who has left behind a trail of grievances throughout his life, lashing out at anyone who disrespects him or doesn’t agree with him.”
“Mr. Patel’s record is clear: he traffics in debunked conspiracy theories that serve or benefit his political beliefs. Let’s start with January 6… I will always be grateful to the U.S. Capitol police officers who risked their lives defending me, members of Congress, and visitors of the United States Capitol on that day. Mr. Patel posted on social media, ‘Jan. 6 never an insurrection: cowards in uniform exposed.’ Let me repeat that. ‘Cowards in uniform.’ Who was in the Capitol building on January 6 in uniform—the Capitol Police were. Do you think they were cowards?... And Mr. Patel claims that the FBI, the agency he aspires to lead, ‘was planning January 6 for a year.’ Mr. Patel has gone so far as to co-produce and sell musical recordings of a song performed by January 6 rioters who violently assaulted police officers.”
“The FBI plays a critical role in keeping Americans safe from terrorism, violent crime, and other threats. Our nation needs an FBI Director who understands the gravity of this mission and is ready on day one, not someone who is consumed by his own personal political grievances. The American people deserve an FBI Director who is focused on keeping the public safe from terrorism, drug trafficking, and violent crime, not the checklist of personal grievances we find in this book. Mr. Patel, your record makes clear that you are not that person.”
Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
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