{"id":2392258,"date":"2025-01-19T06:14:03","date_gmt":"2025-01-19T11:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kash-patel-stares-down-tough-confirmation-test\/"},"modified":"2025-01-19T06:15:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-19T11:15:20","slug":"kash-patel-stares-down-tough-confirmation-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kash-patel-stares-down-tough-confirmation-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Kash Patel stares down tough confirmation test"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkash-patel-stares-down-tough-confirmation-test%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2392258&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Kash Patel&#8217;s nomination\u2064 to lead the\u200d FBI \u200band the challenges he\u2062 faces during his confirmation \u200bprocess.\u200d During a\u2064 recent \u200bSenate Judiciary Committee hearing for attorney general nominee\u2063 Pam Bondi, Democrats used their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unstable-employment-high-inflation-jim-jordan-blasts-fed-chair-powell-in-hearing-on-covid-recovery\/\" title=\"\u2018Unstable Employment,\u2019 \u2018High Inflation\u2019: Jim Jordan Blasts Fed Chair Powell In Hearing On COVID Recovery\">questioning time<\/a> to criticize Patel and express their intent to complicate his confirmation. \u200cThey highlighted his controversial past and statements, which forced Bondi to defend him. Patel, 44,\u200c is described as a staunch supporter of Donald Trump and has no confirmation\u200c hearing scheduled\u2062 yet, pending the departure of \u2062current FBI Director Christopher Wray.<\/p>\n<p>Patel&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">potential obstacles include<\/a> his prior \u2064exaggerated claims regarding his involvement in the \u200dbenghazi examination, \u2063associations with conspiracy theories like QAnon, and proposals for drastic changes at the FBI. To secure his confirmation, Patel can lose \u200cthree Republican \u2063votes but has not faced \u200bovert opposition from \u200bGOP \u2063senators thus far.\u200d Some, however,\u200b remain noncommittal. Despite this, committee\u2062 chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley expressed optimism about Patel&#8217;s chances for confirmation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Kash Patel stares down tough confirmation test<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1905644\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats used some of their time designated for questioning attorney general nominee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">Pam Bondi<\/a> at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3288411\/takeaways-pam-bondi-confirmation-hearing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">hearing<\/a> this week to instead disavow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kash-patel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">Kash Patel<\/a>, whom President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> has tapped to lead the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">FBI<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>At least half the committee Democrats made clear they planned to make Patel&rsquo;s confirmation process as difficult as possible, frequently pointing to his past controversial statements and forcing Bondi to come to Patel&rsquo;s defense.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You should be happy that so many comments have been directed toward Kash Patel, whose confirmation I&rsquo;m supporting,&rdquo; Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) told Bondi, adding, &ldquo;because that means they&rsquo;re out of stuff for you.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Patel, a 44-year-old lawyer and ardent MAGA adherent, does not have a confirmation hearing scheduled yet, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fed-dramatically-hikes-inflation-projection-in-much-awaited-meeting-will-not-taper-stimulus\/\" title=\"Fed Dramatically Hikes Inflation Projection In Much-Awaited Meeting, Will Not Taper Stimulus\">committee intends<\/a> to set one once the current director, Christopher Wray, departs the FBI on Monday and once all Patel&rsquo;s requisite paperwork has been submitted to the Senate, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-cabinet-pick-in-doubt-after-senate-committees-postpone-hearings\/\" title=\"Biden Cabinet Pick In Doubt After Senate Committees Postpone Hearings\">committee aide told<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing is an uncomfortable obstacle for Patel but one he is well positioned to overcome if he can soundly answer for the more controversial elements of his background. Prior to his nomination Patel made overstatements about his role in the Justice Department&rsquo;s investigation of the Benghazi attack, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/13\/us\/politics\/kash-patel-benghazi-investigation-doj.html\">reported<\/a> in the <em>New York Times<\/em>, flirted with unproven conspiracy theories, including QAnon, and envisioned making shock changes at the FBI, such as shutting down its headquarters in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p>Patel can afford to lose three Republican votes in the Senate. As he has courted senators in one-on-one meetings on Capitol Hill, no Republicans have said they oppose him, though some are holding off on outright endorsing him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll make my own decision,&rdquo; centrist Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told the <em>Washington <\/em>Examiner on Friday. &ldquo;I did have a very good meeting with him, and he clearly has a lot of experience, both as a prosecutor and as a public defender.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-investigation-finds-obama-admin-was-knowingly-funding-an-al-qaeda-affiliate\/\" title=\"Senate Investigation Finds Obama Admin Was Knowingly Funding an Al-Qaeda Affiliate\">committee chairman<\/a> and a key &ldquo;yes&rdquo; vote, was optimistic that Patel would survive the Senate&rsquo;s vetting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Maybe something would come out at the hearing, but I look very favorable to him at this point,&rdquo; Grassley told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to make a decision on my vote until after the hearing, but I don&rsquo;t think it should have even been discussed in Pam Bondi&rsquo;s hearing.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kash Patel, former chief of staff to Christopher Miller and President-elect Donald Trump&rsquo;s nominee to be director of the FBI, center, on Capitol Hill while meeting with Republican Senators in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker \/ Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Patel previously worked in senior roles in the Trump administration in the intelligence community and Department of Defense. But he first gained Trump&rsquo;s attention while working as a top aide for former Rep. Devin Nunes on the House Intelligence Committee, where he helped lead Republicans&rsquo; inquiry into the FBI&rsquo;s investigation into the Trump 2016 campaign&rsquo;s alleged collusion with Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Outspoken and brash, Patel wrote a book in 2023 called <em>Government Gangsters <\/em>in which he&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Timodc\/status\/1863620081873244259\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">identified<\/a>&nbsp;members of the so-called deep state who he said were &ldquo;criminals.&rdquo; The list included dozens of prominent Democrats, Republicans who have fallen out of favor with Trump, and other current and former agency officials.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats in Bondi&rsquo;s hearing zeroed in on Patel&rsquo;s perceived &ldquo;enemies list&rdquo; and demanded Bondi vow not to maintain one. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) invoked Patel&rsquo;s words, warning he would &ldquo;come after&rdquo; people who &ldquo;helped Joe Biden rig the presidential election.&rdquo; Ranking member Dick Durbin (D-CT) said Patel&rsquo;s past rhetoric was what &ldquo;you expect of the Stasi.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A Trump transition spokesman, was unfazed with the material that cropped up during Bondi&rsquo;s hearing, telling the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Patel&rsquo;s nomination process has been &ldquo;going smoothly.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A former FBI agent, who worked at the bureau for two decades, including at its headquarters, welcomed Trump&rsquo;s nomination of Patel despite having initial disappointment over his lack of experience working in the bureau.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Over the last few weeks, reading about the stuff he wants to do, I think it could be a good thing for the bureau to have him in there, from the standpoint of he&rsquo;s going to take a hard look at the intelligence programs,&rdquo; the agent told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The former agent added that he wanted to see Patel confirmed, noting Patel&rsquo;s goal to shake up, in Patel&rsquo;s words, the bureau&rsquo;s &ldquo;intel shops&rdquo; &mdash; an apparent reference to the counterintelligence component of the FBI.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We want Kash to go in there with a scalpel and not a sledgehammer because there&rsquo;s good things going on at the bureau,&rdquo; the former agent said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1905644\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1905644\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kash Patel faces a challenging confirmation process as Senate Democrats criticize him during Pam Bondi&#8217;s hearing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2392259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Kash-Patel-fbi-ssu1.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[48783,44864,32603],"class_list":["post-2392258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-confirmation-test","tag-kash-patel","tag-political-news"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Kash-Patel-fbi-ssu1.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2392258"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2392262,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392258\/revisions\/2392262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2392259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2392258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2392258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2392258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}