Kash Patel Clears Key Hurdle, Will Get Full Senate Next

The Senate Judiciary Committee has moved forward with Kash Patel’s nomination for FBI director, approving it with a 12-10 vote.

With the committee’s approval, Patel’s nomination will soon head to the full Senate for a vote in the coming days.

Democrats managed to delay the committee’s decision last week, compelling Patel—who was put forward by President Donald Trump—to testify again before the vote proceeded.

Last week, during an appearance on Fox News, Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn highlighted why certain Democrats, including California’s Sen. Adam Schiff, “fear” Patel leading the FBI. She pointed to his knowledge of their involvement in pushing the “Russian collusion” narrative during Trump’s presidency.

“I think, too, they are very fearful of Kash Patel because Kash Patel knows what Adam Schiff and some of the others did with Russia collusion, and they know that he—knows the dirt on them, if you will, and I think they’re fearful of what he’s going to do and what he’s going to reveal and what he’s going to make known to the American people,” Blackburn stated while speaking with guest host Charlie Hurt on “Fox & Friends” Sunday.

Hurt responded, emphasizing Patel’s commitment to exposing government operations, saying, “And they recognize that one thing Kash Patel is very devoted to is bringing transparency to what’s going on in Washington,” a statement that Blackburn affirmed.

Hurt then questioned, “So to what degree with RFK Jr.. like Tulsi Gabbard do you think Democrats might hold it against them?” He continued, “Because I think you’re right. I think that one of the things that really, really enraging them is that these are former Democrats, and they feel like they have to—I think it just drives them crazy and makes them so mad that these are Democrats who found a way to work on common sense solutions with President Trump.”

Blackburn agreed, stating, “You’re exactly right about that. It does make them angry, and so they’re wanting to punish them, and the way they can punish them is to withhold their vote or to slow down their nomination. RFK Jr.. is going to do a great job at HHS, and I tell you one thing.

“He is going to help us find these 300,000 children. I’ve been trying to find these kids since it was 75,000, and the Biden Administration has never responded to where these children are. RFK is going to get in there. He’s going to rework CMS with Dr. [Mehmet] Oz. He is going to work with [Dr.] Marty Makary to straighten out the FDA. He’s going to work with Dr. [Jay] Bhattacharya at NIH,” she added.

“You’re going to see transparency. People want to know what really happened with COVID. I think we’re going to be able to find out what happened,” she concluded.

The Consortium of Social Science Associations noted that Bhattacharya, a professor of health policy at Stanford University, had been an outspoken critic of the government’s COVID-19 response. The group also highlighted his involvement as a plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, Murthy v. Missouri, where he argued he had been “unfairly censored” by the government on social media over his views on the pandemic response.

The case, which attracted national attention, ultimately resulted in a 6-3 ruling against Bhattacharya’s claim.

Trump spoke about his NIH nominee, stating, “Dr. Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.”

Patel, a former federal prosecutor, has an extensive background in national security and intelligence. He was appointed as senior counsel for the House Select Committee on Intelligence in 2017, focusing on counterterrorism. In 2019, he transitioned to the U.S. National Security Council as senior director of the Counterterrorism Directorate.

Previously, Patel worked closely with then-Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who chaired the House Intelligence Committee. During his tenure, Patel played a significant role in Republican-led investigations into Trump and allegations regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.

He was also instrumental in drafting the 2018 Nunes memo, which accused the FBI of mishandling its application for a surveillance warrant on a Trump campaign adviser.