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Senate confirms Kash Patel to head the FBI
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Senate confirms Kash Patel to head the FBI

'The FBI has been infected by political bias and weaponized against the American people.'

Despite the incessant smear campaigns spearheaded by Democrats, the Senate narrowly confirmed Kash Patel on Thursday to serve as director of the FBI. Patel is now the 18th member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed.

Patel was confirmed in a 51-49 vote, with 51 Republicans supporting the nominee and 47 Democrats voting against him. Notably, retiring Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) voted in favor of Patel's confirmation.

At the same time, Patel also faced pushback from some Republican senators, with Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting to tank the nominee.

'Mr. Patel should be our next FBI director because the FBI has been infected by political bias and weaponized against the American people. Mr. Patel knows it, Mr. Patel exposed it, and Mr. Patel has been targeted for it.'

Murkowski, Susan Collins (R-Maine), and McConnell have previously voted against Trump's nominees like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. McConnell also voted against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, surprising onlookers with his support for Patel.

"I’ve never seen our law enforcement and intelligence community institutions so badly infected with political decision-making," Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said in his opening statement during Patel's hearing. "They’ve broken faith with 'we the people.'"

Patel previously advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 12-10 party-line vote, paving the path to his confirmation a week later.

"Mr. Patel should be our next FBI director because the FBI has been infected by political bias and weaponized against the American people," Grassley said during the committee vote. "Mr. Patel knows it, Mr. Patel exposed it, and Mr. Patel has been targeted for it."

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Rebeka Zeljko

Rebeka Zeljko

Rebeka Zeljko is a Capitol Hill and politics reporter for Blaze News.
@rebekazeljko →