Patel Survives 51-49 Vote To Win Job As Trump's FBI Director

Despite a unified Democratic front opposed to his nomination, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Kash Patel to lead the FBI. In a 51-49 vote, the entire Democratic caucus, along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), voted against Patel', Scripps News reports. Patel's nomination has been among the more contentious choices among President Trump's nominees. Democrats in the Senate accused Patel of having an "enemy's list." Democrats claimed Patel created a list of President Trump's political opponents that would be subject to FBI investigations. Collins cited recent layoffs within the FBI and the Department of Justice. She . also noted a questionnaire sent to FBI officials to gauge their level of involvement in cases surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. “In this context, there is a compelling need for an FBI Director who is decidedly apolitical," Collins said.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) challenged Patel during a Judiciary Committee hearing, when she referenced a list in Patel's 2023 book "Government Gangsters." Patel said, “It’s not an enemies list. That is a total mischaracterization." More broadly, Patel denied accusations that he would use his office to seek political retribution. "Any accusations leveled against me that I would somehow put political bias before the Constitution are grotesquely unfair," Patel said during the hearing. "And I will have you reminded that I have been endorsed by over 300,000 law enforcement officers to become the next director of the FBI." The fact that an FBI director did not stay on during the change of administrations is itself controversial. Before President Trump's first term, it was customary for FBI directors to serve 10-year terms. After President Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey months into his first term, he appointed Christopher Wray. Wray ended up staying on as FBI director throughout nearly all of President Biden's tenure in the White House. Wray resigned one day before Trump returned to office after Trump said that he would fire Wray.