Dems protest Kash Patel’s confirmation, say he will ‘cause evil’ in the FBI

Ranking Member Dick Durbin said that Patel has made "bizarre political statements," saying, "On this brisk morning, my fellow Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues and I are here at the FBI headquarters today, on the day that the Senate Republicans have scheduled a vote to confirm Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee for FBI director. We stand outside the building that Mr. Patel on one day plans to 'shut down and reopen the next day as a museum of the deep state.' That is one of the many bizarre political statements made by the man who’s asking for 10 years as director of the FBI."

Durbin later added, "Mr. Patel has been open about his plans to dismantle the FBI and seek retribution. His directives as a private citizen have already thrown the bureau into chaos before the actual vote. Mr. Patel will be a political and national security disaster if confirmed. My Judiciary Democratic colleagues and I have continually sounded the alarm. Now it is up to a handful of Senate Republicans as to whether they have the courage to step up and do publicly what they have told these FBI agents they want to do, and that is vote against Kash Patel. What is at stake is the future of the FBI. And I look forward to this vote today in the hopes that they will come forward and join us in this effort."

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said that Republicans who vote to confirm Patel would "rue that day." Patel’s confirmation passed its final procedural vote later Thursday 51-47.

"This is the first senior law enforcement official in American history to have pled the fifth, and he has been unwilling to even explain to the Judiciary Committee what crimes it was that he was concerned about that caused him to plead the fifth," Whitehouse said. "Kash Patel, mark my words, will cause evil in this building behind us. Republicans who vote for him will rue that day."

Senator Adam Schiff said that Patel "can’t do the job, he won’t protect the public, he will misuse the resources of the bureau, he will weaponize it against the president’s political opponents rather than protecting the public safety of the American people."