Durbin: Kash Patel Has Been Personally Directing The Ongoing Purge Of FBI Officials

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed that multiple whistleblowers have disclosed to Durbin’s staff highly credible information indicating that Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has been personally directing the ongoing purge of senior law enforcement officials at the FBI. Earlier today, Durbin sent a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz requesting an investigation into these allegations.

“This Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider whether to recommend Kash Patel’s nomination to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the full Senate for consideration. So far, my Republican Committee colleagues have chosen to ignore the myriad red flags about Mr. Patel, especially his recurring instinct to threaten retribution—political retribution—against his and President Trump’s perceived enemies. This is a dangerous characteristic for a person who wants to lead the nation’s most powerful domestic investigative agency, the FBI,” Durbin said. “I hope that what I reveal today from credible whistleblowers at the highest levels will give my Republican colleagues some pause before it’s too late.”

Durbin went on to reveal that on January 29, 2025, Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll and Acting FBI Deputy Director Robert Kissane scheduled a meeting where it was relayed that a group of Executive Assistant Directors (EAD) and other supervisors must resign or be fired. The newly-established FBI Director’s Advisory Team (DAT) was in possession of a written list that identified certain officials and was seen by multiple FBI leaders. Their understanding of the list was that “a lot of names were people in the crosshairs.” This meeting had been prompted by a meeting earlier that day between DOJ and FBI leadership.

Contemporaneous notes from that morning meeting read: “KP wants movement at FBI, reciprocal actions for DOJ.” Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove told meeting attendees that he received multiple calls from Stephen Miller the night before. Mr. Miller was pressuring him because Mr. Patel wanted the FBI to remove targeted employees faster, as DOJ had already done with prosecutors. 

“According to my sources, Mr. Patel is receiving information from within the FBI from the Director’s Advisory Team. Mr. Patel then provides direction to Stephen Miller, who relays it to Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove,” said Durbin. “It is unacceptable for a nominee with no legal or current role in government to personally direct the unjustified and potentially illegal firings of dedicated, nonpartisan professionals at the FBI. If these allegations are true, then Mr. Patel may have committed perjury before the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

Durbin then explained how, if the allegations are true, Mr. Patel may have perjured himself before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“The day after the meeting I described, where Mr. Patel’s desire for FBI officials to be fired more quickly was discussed, was Mr. Patel’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee,” Durbin said. “During the hearing, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey asked Mr. Patel: ‘Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trump investigations? Yes or no.’ Mr. Patel answered that he was ‘not aware of that’ and continued: ‘I don’t know what’s going on right now over there, but I’m committed to you, Senator, and your colleagues that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI.’ Yet, if these whistleblower allegations are true, just two days prior, Stephen Miller, at Mr. Patel’s direction, had ordered DOJ leadership not just to terminate a specific list of officials, but to speed up those terminations.”

Durbin continued, “Mr. Patel seems to be unable to wait for Senate confirmation to carry out retribution against his perceived political enemies. Patel is a private citizen today and he was when he testified with no current role in government directing baseless firings of career public servants. This speaks directly to the fact that Mr. Patel is not fit to be entrusted with government authority, which is evident to anyone who has seriously reviewed his record.”

Finally, Durbin explained how the ramifications of these FBI terminations are dangerous, and how they go beyond Mr. Patel’s fitness for office because these terminations have greatly weakened the FBI’s ability to protect the country from national security threats and have made Americans less safe.

“Among those who were removed, so far by the Trump administration, are the top officials who oversee the FBI’s work combatting international and domestic terrorism… cybersecurity threats, human and drug trafficking, and violent crime. Does that make us any safer? Mr. Patel’s need to punish his perceived enemies is apparently greater than his interest in protecting the American people,” said Durbin. “Given the serious nature of these allegations and the need to protect the identities of my sources, I have asked the Department of Justice Inspector General today in a letter to investigate these claims… I urge my Republican colleagues to please take these allegations seriously and at least pause for a moment to consider whether Kash Patel is the person you want to put in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for ten years.”

Durbin concluded, “He [Patel] has left behind a trail of grievances throughout his life, lashing out at anyone who dares to disagree with him or fails to respect him sufficiently… And now these credible allegations that he has personally orchestrated a purge of senior FBI law enforcement officials. The FBI is an agency that plays a critical role in keeping us safe from terrorism, violent crime, and other threats. Our nation needs an FBI director who understands the gravity of the mission, not someone who is focused on settling a political score.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here for TV Stations.

-30-