Democrats Delay Kash Patel’s Confirmation

Democrats have successfully delayed FBI director nominee Kash Patel’s confirmation process until next week.

The Democrats’ obstruction is part of a trend of heightened hostility to President Donald Trump’s nominees in the past week, as Democrats have also attempted to delay the confirmation of budget chief nominee Russell Vought.

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced the week-long holdover Thursday, saying, “The minority as well as myself has exercised their right and my right under the committee rules to hold over the nomination of Kash Patel to be director of the FBI. So that nomination is held over.”

Upon Grassley’s announcement of the holdover, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., shot back at Democratic criticism of the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jan. 6 investigations. 

“The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the United States Department of Justice overcharged many of the January 6 defendants, using an Enron-era obstruction of justice statute. And I don’t see anything wrong with the Department of Justice under new leadership finding out or trying to find out why that happened,” Kennedy said.

Although Patel likely has all the votes needed for confirmation, Democrats have decided to stall the nomination on the grounds of his sympathies for Jan. 6 prisoners, as well as allegations that he would politicize the FBI.

Standing alongside fellow Democrats with a “STOP KASH,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., branded Patel as an extremist who would seek retribution against Trump’s appointees.

“We have an individual in Kash Patel who has published a book which in detail describes his view of politics in America. It is a book that is filled with grievances, filled with conspiracy theories and filled with information of how he sided with the January 6 rioters against the police,” said Durbin.

The senator also suggested that the Democrats’ harsh resistance to Patel was partially motivated by the administration’s work to learn what government employees were involved in the Jan. 6 investigations—which Durbin says is an act of aggression.

“Sadly, we think that this is a portent of what’s to come, where these people will be punished or even dismissed because of their involvement. That is an outrage,” said Durbin.

Additionally, Durbin suggested that Patel had not been forthright with the committee about his participation in the recording of “Justice for All,” a song performed by Jan. 6 prisoners.

It is unlikely that Durbin will be swayed. Asked by The Daily Signal after Patel’s hearing last week if he would consider voting for Patel if the nominee provided satisfactory answers, Durbin replied, “I doubt it … He should not be head of the FBI.”

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