The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday alleged that President Donald Trump's FBI director nominee Kash Patel has been secretly overseeing the ouster of the bureau's leadership before being confirmed for the role.
Senator Dick Durbin said he learned about Patel's alleged role in the firings from several whistleblowers, and he has asked Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate.
Durbin, of Illinois, said that Patel was working with senior White House and Justice Department staffers to oversee the removals.
"This alleged misconduct is beyond the pale and must be investigated immediately," Durbin wrote in a letter to the inspector general calling for an investigation urgently.
"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."
Patel spokesperson Erica Knight on social media called Durbin's claims "second-hand gossip."
"Kash Patel is a highly qualified national security expert who has been fully transparent with the American people throughout this process," Knight said.
An FBI spokesperson declined to comment.
Spokespeople for the White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The panel is set to vote on Thursday on Patel, who told lawmakers under oath during his confirmation hearing that he was unaware of any efforts to fire or punish FBI employees who worked on cases associated with Trump.
Patel may have perjured himself before the committee if the allegations are true, Durbin said.
The day after Patel's hearing, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove fired eight senior career FBI officials and ordered the FBI's Acting Director Brian Driscoll to hand over a list of every employee who worked on investigations related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump's supporters.
Bove said the department would use the list to review whether further personnel action was warranted.
The demand for the list prompted two different groups of FBI agents to sue the Justice Department, in a bid to prevent senior Trump officials from releasing their names publicly, which they said could put agents at risk.
The department has since agreed not to release any names, and to provide the plaintiffs with at least 48 hours notice if that changes.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
19 Comments
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Yrral
A Federal judge need to.impanel.a grand jury,in the DC Circuit,these judge are allowed to watch news and form an opinion of corruption
Yrral
Federal statutory of limitations is 5 years,1 year longer than the end of Trump Presidency,and the Democrats will regain control of the house in 2026,so they can hold Congressional investigation, leading to Trump 3rd impeachment
bass4funk
They probably won’t as hysterical as they have been, they’re so focused on hating Trump, they’re not even focused on what they would do better or how they would fix the country, at this point it might take 2-4 election cycles before we might see them go back into the White House, let alone take congress back.
Yrral
Despising Trump and winning a lawsuit, against Trump is like a cherry on top of a Sundae
bass4funk
Anyway, Patel will be confirmed, take solace with that.
Yrral
Bass4,who cares when he will be indicted for perjury
Blacklabel
Democrats are terrified of Kash.
Yrral
Bass4,,Judges do.not have to be blind to Trump corrupt practices because they have seen evidence of Trump guilt,it only matter of third party bring suit to extract legal justice by Judges, Trump has fired a lot of lawyers,who got their lawyers friends representing them ,why Trump is legally doomed Google McCabe Trump Lawsuit
I'veSeenFootage
Yeah nothing nefarious going on here at all! Just your normal retribution for investigating and imprisoning insurrectionists. History will not look kindly on this administration.
Yrral
Patel cannot do anything without a judge,they is issue warrant and can stop and investigation that deemed illegal
Yrral
Blacklabel,as long as Democrats control the DC grand juries and have Judges that know Patel is unethical
Tokyo Guy
I'm a democrat, but this is clearly nonsense.
Trump and his motley crew are now so emboldened that if this was happening, they'd be doing it out in the open while smirking about it.
stormcrow
This is what happens when you allow a convicted felon to choose someone to be America's FBI Director.
Blacklabel
That corrupt Dan Goldman guy is going to prison. He’s the most terrified of all.
I'veSeenFootage
Oooh, what crimes has the right-wing media bubble invented now? Is James Comer going to waste millions of taxpayer dollars investgating him in a committee that will lead to absolutely nothing?
bass4funk
Oh, boy….
Well, it is.
Yrral
I feel good, because this is the beginning of the end of Trump lawlessness within weeks
bass4funk
Gee, how much time do you have? Anyway, the left can keep their heads in the sand if they want, change is coming to the FBI and I am just ecstatic to the core about it.
bass4funk
The Supreme Court
Don’t feel good because you’re talking about a delay, and nothing more.