Durbin Statement On Meeting With President Trump's FBI Director Nominee, Kash Patel

Durbin Statement On Meeting With President Trump's FBI Director Nominee, Kash Patel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after meeting with Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):

"Kash Patel has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead the FBI.

"We were reminded on 9/11 that the FBI is the first agency we rely on to keep America safe. The 30,000 professionals at the FBI have the skills and resources to protect us. They deserve a leader who understands the gravity of their mission.

"Mr. Patel's political grievances make him a favorite of the MAGA world, but they have not prepared him to work night and day to keep us safe from violent crime, drug trafficking, terrorism, and other threats. Mr. Patel is the wrong choice to lead the FBI."

Earlier this month, Durbin sent letters to the Department of Defense (DOD), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting they produce all relevant materials related to Mr. Patel's alleged misconduct with respect to those agencies. Mr. Patel has held several previous roles in the Executive Branch as a career 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. These accusations include:

• Impeding the transition between the first Trump Administration and the Biden Administration;
• Politicizing the declassification process to benefit then-President Trump; and
• Working with Jeffrey Clark to identify a "trustworthy" FBI agent to aid Clark's efforts to use DOJ to subvert the 2020 election.

Durbin's letter to DOJ additionally requested records related to any other allegations of misconduct, including criminal referrals from other agencies, during Mr. Patel's time in federal service. Durbin requested specific materials from each agency be provided as soon as possible.

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