Democrats opted to “hold over” the nomination during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s meeting to consider Patel, as reported by Forbes. This decision means that the committee’s vote will be delayed for a week. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the committee’s ranking member, expressed concerns, stating that Patel “does not have the temperament for the job.”
In a heated hearing last week, Patel countered the Democrats’ narrative regarding the events leading up to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. He engaged in a back-and-forth with several Democratic senators, but a significant moment occurred during his exchange with the more sympathetic Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Patel pointed fingers at former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, claiming that Pelosi had been informed about the potential dangers leading up to the riot. He recounted a meeting in the Oval Office days before the incident, where he, the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed the possibility of deploying over 20,000 National Guard members to ensure security at the Capitol.
“On that day, specifically, I was responding to and preparing to mobilize the National Guard once we received the lawful request from the local governing authority, which was the mayor of D.C. and the Speaker of the House,” Patel testified.
Cruz pressed him further, asking how many times the Department of Defense (DOD) had approached Capitol Police regarding National Guard assistance while Patel was Chief of Staff. Patel replied that there were numerous documented instances where those requests were denied.
“Now, am I correct that the Capitol Sergeant at Arms said assistance was unnecessary?” Cruz inquired.
“That’s correct, Senator,” Patel confirmed.
Cruz then asked who the Sergeant at Arms reported to, to which Patel responded, “The Speaker of the House.” Cruz followed up, confirming that at that time, it was Nancy Pelosi, and also noted Chuck Schumer’s role as Senate Majority Leader.
Despite the intense questioning, Patel maintained a positive demeanor. After the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing concluded late Thursday night, he told reporters that “it was a fantastic day” when asked about the proceedings.
Tensions escalated during the hearing, particularly in his exchange with Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, who attempted to label him as unqualified. Patel responded assertively, stating, “If the best attacks on me are false accusations and grotesque mischaracterizations, the only thing this body is doing is undermining the credibility of the men and women at the FBI. I STOOD with them, here in this country, in every theater of war we have – I was on the ground in service.”
He further emphasized that accusations suggesting he would prioritize political bias over the Constitution were “grotesquely unfair,” noting that he had received endorsements from over 300,000 law enforcement officers for the position of FBI director.
Patel criticized Democrats for taking his previous comments out of context to gain “cheap political points,” asserting, “In the collective, all of those statements are taken out of grotesque context.” He accused his detractors of deliberately spreading false information and creating unnecessary public discourse. “If I am confirmed as director of the FBI, the only thing that will matter is a de-weaponized, depoliticized system of law enforcement fully committed to rigorous adherence to the Constitution and a singular standard of justice,” he concluded to the Senate panel.