Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to run the FBI, sat for a confirmation hearing Thursday where lawmakers focused on high profile instances of FBI misconduct and Patel’s inflammatory political commentary.
Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) brought up an FBI memo listing Catholic parishes the bureau believed harbored extremists and could offer opportunities for recruiting informants.
The memo, which was leaked by former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin, targeted “Radical Traditionalist Catholics” and was authored by the FBI’s Richmond field office. Appearing before Congress in July of last year, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to tell Representative Jim Jordan who specifically authored the memo. Wray initially argued that the memorandum reflected the views of the single field office that released it, though Jordan has disputed the claim, citing internal bureau communications which suggest multiple offices were involved in crafting the memo.
“Mr. Patel, would you commit to me that you will, if you are confirmed, that you will finally and officially withdraw this memo and make it clear that this is not only unacceptable, but that it is an absolute violation of the First Amendment,” Hawley asked.
“If I am confirmed, Senator, yes,” said Patel, a devout Hindu.
Hawley followed up by asking Patel if he will oversee an investigation into who authored the memo and how it came about.
“Senator you have my commitment to investigate any matter such as this one that are important to Congress,” Patel replied.
The Missouri lawmaker also raised the FBI’s targeting of parents who protested at school board meetings against the introduction of left-wing dogma around race and gender into K-12 curricula, suggesting it was yet another example of the bureau’s bias under the Biden administration.
“Do you think it is appropriate for the FBI to be sending agents, including counterterrorism agents, to the parents of children who went to school board meetings and asked about critical race theory in their schools, asked about masking policy during Covid, should those parents be treated as domestic terrorists?” Hawley asked.
“Parents who have the courage to ensure their children are taught what they feel is right…will never be domestic terrorists,” Patel responded, vowing he would find out who encouraged the targeting of conservative parents so they can be disciplined.
Hawley went on to raise the FBI raid conducted against pro-life activist Mark Houck, who was arrested by a group of heavily armed FBI agents at his home early in the morning and charged with violating the FACE Act, which prohibits protesters from blocking access to abortion clinics. Houck shoved a pro-abortion protester during a confrontation after the protester pushed his young son. He was later acquitted.
Setting the tone for Democrats on the panel, Senator Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), ranking member of the committee, homed in on January 6 and Patel’s apparent involvement with a choir of January 6 defendants who made music to raise money.
Durbin pressed Patel on his opinions about President Trump pardoning 1,500 January 6 defendants, including many who committed violence against law enforcement. Patel replied by unequivocally denouncing violence against law enforcement and said he opposes the commutation of sentences for people convicted of such crimes. Patel also downplayed any role he might have played in promoting the choir’s activities.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Patel to respond to claims that he is an adherent of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Patel said he rejects QAnon and all conspiracy theories, while supporting law enforcement and the military. Grassley followed up by asking Patel about his personal experience dealing with the weaponization of the federal government.
“Having been the victim of government overreach and a weaponized system of justice and law enforcement, I know what it feels like to have the full weight of the United States government barreling down on you,” Patel said, referring to the Justice Department’s improper surveillance of communications from congressional staffers including Patel.
“I will ensure, if confirmed, that no American is subject to that kind of torment, to that kind of cost, financially and personally, and most importantly, I will ensure no American is subject to death threats like I was, and subject to moving their residences like I was because of government overreach,” Patel added.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) spent most of his time going through the FBI’s abuses during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation into false claims of Russian collusion, specifically the misuse of FISA surveillance against former Trump advisor Carter Page, and the false claims made in the Steele Dossier. As a staffer for then-Representative Devin Nunes, Patel was instrumental in exposing the abuses that led warrants being issued to surveil Page based on what the bureau knew was faulty intelligence.
As a harsh critic of the FBI, Patel is expected to overhaul the agency in line with Trump’s wishes if confirmed. Patel is a strong Trump ally best known for helping debunk Russian collusion claims against Trump as a House Intelligence Committee staffer.
“If there is any ever corruption, I have been the first to call it out and I will continue to call out corruption in government services,” Patel said in his opening statement.
Patel is a former public defender and an award-winning terrorism prosecutor in the Obama Justice Department. He also held multiple senior national security roles in the first Trump administration and became a prominent political commentator afterwards.