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Investigation Requested Into Kash Patel’s Alleged Actions at the FBI
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has urged the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) inspector general to conduct a thorough inquiry regarding claims that Kash Patel, selected by President Trump as the next FBI Director, is involved in directing a significant restructuring of the bureau prior to his official Senate confirmation.
According to Durbin, Patel has allegedly issued directives executed by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, and members of a newly formed advisory group for the FBI Director.
In a letter addressed to Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Durbin asserted, “I have received highly credible information from multiple sources that Kash Patel has been personally directing the ongoing purge of career civil servants at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Durbin emphasized that despite being President Trump’s nominee, Patel’s status as a private citizen without any formal governmental authority raises serious concerns about these alleged activities. He called the reported misconduct “beyond the pale” and demanded immediate investigation.
As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Durbin highlighted that the claims he is receiving contradict Patel’s own testimonies during his confirmation hearings.
The senator mentioned a meeting on January 29 held by acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll and Deputy Director Robert Kissane, where it was communicated that certain executive assistant directors and other supervisory personnel were expected to either resign or be dismissed. He noted that there was a documented list identifying specific officials viewed as targets for removal.
Durbin referred to notes from the meeting indicating that “KP wants movement at FBI, reciprocal actions for DOJ,” revealing that Bove had mentioned receiving multiple communications from Miller advocating for expedited dismissals of specific FBI personnel.
This alleged “purge” is not isolated; recent actions by the Justice Department have already led to the dismissal of at least a dozen members of special counsel Jack Smith’s team, with plaintiffs asserting they were deemed insufficiently trustworthy to carry out Trump’s agenda.
Furthermore, the FBI leadership experienced notable changes, resulting in the dismissal of five senior officials, including heads of several field offices. Agents who worked on Trump’s criminal investigations were reportedly escorted from their positions as well.
Additionally, the Justice Department requested the FBI provide a comprehensive list of every agent involved in the investigation into the January 6 Capitol events, leading to legal actions from agents concerned about potential exposure and retaliation.
Durbin revealed that, according to his sources, Patel is relaying directives from the advisory team to Miller, who, in turn, communicates these to Bove. The senator argued that it is entirely inappropriate for a nominee without a formal governmental role to influence such severe employment decisions against long-serving, nonpartisan FBI staff.
Durbin also pointed out the possibility that Patel might have misrepresented facts during his Senate confirmation process when he denied knowledge of punitive measures against FBI personnel involved in Trump investigations.
During his testimony to Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Patel claimed his commitment to respecting the FBI’s internal review processes, even as he was reminded of his obligation to provide truthful testimony under oath.
While Patel stated to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) that he discussed personnel issues with Trump’s transition team, he refrained from detailing those conversations during his hearings. His spokesperson, Erica Knight, responded to the allegations on Tuesday, dismissing them as baseless and emphasizing Patel’s qualifications and transparency throughout the nomination process.
In the backdrop of these developments, Durbin cautioned that the removal of senior FBI leadership poses serious implications for national security. He warned, “The leadership and experience vacuum created by these actions has greatly weakened the FBI’s ability to protect the country from national security threats and has made Americans less safe.”
Durbin’s communications also included requests for information directed to Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi about any coordination with Trump’s transition team regarding staff dismissals. He expressed hope that these issues will lead to his Republican colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee reconsidering their endorsement of Patel’s nomination.
“I hope that the Republicans will take it seriously. To think that this man is dismissing people from the FBI before he has any responsibility legally or otherwise raises significant concerns about his motivations and the potential threats to our justice system,” he remarked.
In a broader context, these events unfolded against the recent backdrop of President Trump dismissing multiple inspectors general yet retaining Horowitz, who has held office since 2012.
Updated at 4:02 p.m.
Source
thehill.com