Kash Patel, President Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, wouldn’t acknowledge or sought to distance himself from a host of his past public statements as Democrats pressed him during his confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Democratic lawmakers cited numerous controversial statements Patel has made on podcasts and online, but Patel demurred from being associated with his past remarks or accused Democrats of taking his words out of context.
In response to questions from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Patel seemed to imply he was unaware of the activities of a prison choir made up of Jan. 6 defendants that released the song “Justice for All” to raise money — a group he has promoted in the past.
“I’m not aware of that, sir, I didn’t have anything to do with the recording,” he said.
In later questioning Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) noted that Patel had boasted of his involvement.
“As a matter of fact, as you put it, to Steve Bannon on his show: ‘Then we went into a studio and recorded it, mastered it, digitized it, and put it as a song, now releasing it exclusively in the War Room.’ That was the J6 Prison Choir song,” Blumenthal said.
“We, we, we,” Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) added later, noting Patel’s involvement.
Patel later said he was using the “proverbial we” when Schiff asked if Patel lied to Steve Bannon.
“I did not record that myself,” Patel said.
Patel also previously promoted the group’s song and acknowledged he knew the background of the group.
“J6 Prison Choir consists of individuals who have been incarcerated as a result of their involvement in the January 6, 2021 protest for election integrity. They have sang the anthem every night since being incarcerated- lets help,” he wrote on social media in a 2023 post.
Patel would also not back his prior statements claiming to have witnessed President Trump, as his first term was ending, declassify documents — something that could have been key to Trump’s defense had special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case proceeded.
Patel received immunity to discuss his role in the Mar-a-Lago case after pleading the fifth before prosecutors.
“I would love my grand jury testimony to be released, but as you know, that grand jury testimony has been sealed by the Department of Justice,” Patel said.
But Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) noted that witnesses are free to discuss their grand jury testimony.
“I find it troubling that you do not know the law here,” he said. “You were a witness in the classified documents case. You were not bound by secrecy. You can tell us everything that happened in that room and everything you testified about.”
Patel did not provide any further information as Booker repeatedly noted his Thursday testimony was under oath.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) pointed to past remarks from Patel about prosecuting journalists.
“We’re gonna come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections, we’re gonna come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly we’ll figure that out, but yeah, we’re putting you all on notice,” Patel said on Bannon’s show.
“Senator, that’s a partial quotation,” Patel said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said she would enter into the hearing record a number of past statements as Patel said he couldn’t recall things “I don’t have in front of me” or dismissed them as partial quotes being taken out of context.
The exchange got especially heated after Klobuchar asked whether Patel had threatened to shut down the FBI headquarters and turn it into a museum to the Deep State.
It was a remark Patel made on a podcast, something he said he would do on Day One.
Klobuchar pressed further, “I deserve an answer to that question. To be head of the FBI, and he said that their headquarters should be shut down.”
Klobuchar also referenced other podcast appearances The Hill has not independently reviewed.
“You said that Donald Trump has every right to tell the world that in 2020, 2016 and every other election in between was rigged by our government,” Klobuchar said, noting it was from a 2023 interview on the Thrive Time podcast.
“I don’t have enough of the facts in front of me,” Patel responded.
Klobuchar then referenced comments Patel has made about prosecuting Justice Department officials.
“I’ve looked at it. I’ve read this stuff, yes or no…did you say this: ‘When Trump wins in 2024 and is in power in 2025 we can prosecute them’ – referring to Justice Department officials – ‘for an actual RICO statute violation, for criminally organizing the United States government to break the law to rig presidential elections,’” Klobuchar read, adding that Patel made the remarks on the X22 podcast.
“Senator, you’re reading a partial statement, so I’m unable to fully respond,” Patel said.
Republicans on the panel got annoyed that Klobuchar went over her time and Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) noted she will have a second round of questioning.
“OK, I’ll say ‘em again,” she remarked.
Patel disparaged Democrats for “grotesque mischaracterizations” of his remarks.
“If the best attacks on me are going to be false accusations and grotesque mischaracterizations, the only thing this body is doing is defeating the credibility of the men and women at the FBI,” he said.
“And any accusations leveled against me that I would somehow put political bias before the Constitution are grotesquely unfair.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) defended Patel.
“I have to say it is ludicrous, but sadly predictable, that Democrats are endeavoring to tarnish you, to paint a false caricature, based on innuendo and smoke,” he said.
