Kash Patel, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of the FBI, looks on as he testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, was accused Tuesday of personally directing an “ongoing purge” of civil servants at the agency before being confirmed by the Senate.
In a letter to the Justice Department’s internal watchdog, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wrote that he had “received highly credible information from multiple sources,” who described Patel’s alleged involvement in the personnel decisions.
“This alleged misconduct is beyond the pale and must be investigated immediately,” wrote Durbin, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in the letter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
“It is unacceptable for a nominee with no current role in government, much less at the FBI, to personally direct unjustified and potentially illegal adverse employment actions against senior career FBI leadership and other dedicated, nonpartisan law enforcement officers,” the senator wrote.
Trump nominated Patel, a loyalist who has called for rooting out anti-Trump “conspirators” in the government and the media, on Nov. 30.
Patel has not yet been confirmed by the Senate; the Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Thursday on whether to advance his nomination.
“If these allegations are true,” wrote Durbin, then Patel “may have perjured himself” at his recent Senate confirmation hearing.
After asking the White House for comment on the letter, CNBC was referred to a tweet earlier Tuesday from Patel spokeswoman Erica Knight, who accused media outlets of “relying on anonymous sources and second-hand gossip to push a false narrative.”
“Kash Patel is a highly qualified national security expert who has been fully transparent with the American people throughout this process and has demonstrated the integrity and leadership needed for this role,” she wrote in the post. “The Senate should confirm him without delay.”
The FBI declined to comment on Durbin’s letter, which was first reported by The New York Times.
Durbin’s sources alleged Patel has been receiving internal FBI information from a member of a newly established unit called the Director’s Advisory Team.
Patel then allegedly “provides direction” to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who relays it to top Trump officials, including acting deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, Durbin wrote.
Patel’s relationships with people running the FBI in an acting capacity were previously reported by NBC News.
Durbin’s subsequent allegation that Patel may have perjured himself before the Senate stems from an exchange Patel had with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., during his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary panel on Jan. 30.
“Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trump investigations?” Booker asked Patel.
The nominee replied that he was “not aware.”
Patel also claimed that he did not 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.”
“All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution,” Patel told the senators, while downplaying some of his other controversial past remarks.
Patel’s remarks came as the Trump administration was pushing out several top FBI officials and federal prosecutors, including some who were involved in prosecuting those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The events at DOJ have opened a “leadership and experience vacuum” that has “made Americans less safe,” Durbin wrote to Horowitz.
“The ramifications of removing senior leaders and threatening the removal of thousands of other FBI agents are particularly disastrous,” he added.
“The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated,” wrote Durbin.
