Washington [US], February 21: The US Senate was set to vote on Thursday on whether to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director, a decision that could place him atop the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency despite concerns from Democrats over his qualifications and the prospect that he would do President Donald Trump's bidding.
Patel's nomination advanced in a 51-47 party-line vote, putting him on track for confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate in the afternoon. To deny him the job, more than three Republicans would have to defy Trump and vote "no," which is seen as unlikely even though Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced her opposition. So far, Trump has already secured approval for most of his nominees despite initial Republican skepticism to several of his choices.
Patel, a Trump loyalist who has fiercely criticized the agency that he is poised to lead, would inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil. The Justice Department in the last month has forced out a group of senior FBI officials and made a highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents who participated in investigations related to the Jan 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol. Trump has said that he expects some of those agents will be fired. Patel told senators at his confirmation hearing last month that he was unaware of any discussions about firing agents.
Republicans angry over what they see as law enforcement bias against conservatives during the Biden administration, as well as criminal investigations into Trump, have rallied behind Patel. "Mr Patel wants to make the FBI accountable once again -- get back the reputation that the FBI has had historically for law enforcement," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told colleagues on Wednesday. "He wants to hold the FBI accountable to Congress, to the president and, most importantly, to the people they serve - the American taxpayer."
Source: Qatar Tribune
