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A top US Senator is calling on the DOJ’s inspector general to launch an investigation into Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee for FBI director, over allegations that he is orchestrating a “purge” of career FBI officials despite not being confirmed by the US senate.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, every Presidential nominee for key executive branch positions, including the FBI Director, must go through a Senate confirmation process that begins with hearings before the relevant committee—in this case, the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee then votes on whether to advance the nomination to the full Senate, requiring a simple majority for approval. Once on the Senate floor, the nominee must receive at least 51 votes to be confirmed, though the process can be delayed through procedural tactics such as holds or extended debate.
What’s going on now: In a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Senator Dick Durbin claimed he had highly credible information that Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee for FBI Director, is secretly directing a “purge” of career officials at the FBI before his Senate confirmation. Durbin alleged that Patel, despite having no official government role, is influencing FBI personnel decisions by issuing directives through White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. According to Durbin, at a January 29 meeting, acting FBI leadership was informed that a list of senior officials had been identified for termination or forced resignation, a move widely understood as retaliation against individuals involved in past Trump-related investigations. Notes from that meeting reportedly quoted a directive that “KP wants movement at FBI, reciprocal actions for DOJ,” indicating that Patel was pushing for firings at the FBI similar to those already carried out at the Justice Department, where at least a dozen prosecutors involved in Trump’s cases were dismissed.
Senator Durbin further claimed that Patel’s actions directly contradict his testimony at his January 30 Senate confirmation hearing, where he stated under oath that he was “not aware” of any plans to remove FBI officials involved in Trump-related investigations. The letter also describes growing concerns that Patel has been receiving inside information from members of the newly established FBI Director’s Advisory Team and using it to dictate personnel decisions before taking office.
While the Justice Department and FBI have declined to comment, Patel’s spokesperson dismissed the allegations as “anonymous sources and second-hand gossip,” calling him a “highly qualified national security expert” who should be confirmed without delay.
This all comes as Patel’s confirmation vote is likely to take place this week in the Senate Judiciary Committee despite mounting controversy over the allegations against him. The committee, which is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, will first decide whether to advance Patel’s nomination to the full Senate, where he would need a simple majority of 51 votes to be confirmed. While Democrats have called for a delay and an investigation into Patel’s alleged involvement in FBI firings, Republicans have largely remained supportive, arguing that the claims are based on anonymous sources and lack concrete evidence. If the committee deadlocks, Senate Majority Leader John Thune could still bring the nomination to the floor, but it would require additional procedural steps.
