Senate Democrats in the Judiciary Committee delayed on Thursday a vote to confirm President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, to next week. The group of Democrats justified their decision citing ongoing concerns over Patel's qualifications to lead the department, particularly due to his unwavering loyalty to Trump, his connection to Jan. 6 rioters and his past vows to go after his political enemies.
A vote was scheduled to be held Thursday, but Democrats requested it be held one week later. The panel's rules dictate that a member can request a vote delay one time. The move is expected to do little on Patel's chances to be confirmed, as he remains in a strong position to win support of the majority of Republican senators, The Hill reports.
"The minority as well as myself has exercised their right and my right under the committee rules to hold over the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the FBI. So that nomination is held over," Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said.
Following the brief committee's meeting, Senate Judiciary Democrats held a press conference in the Capitol, urging his fellow senators to block the lawyer from becoming FBI director.
"Kash Patel, Donald Trump's FBI Director pick, is an unqualified, unserious nominee who will make us less safe," the group of Democrats posted on X. "He's a vengeful extremist— to the point that he seemingly lied under oath."
With Patel's vote being held over, Senate Republicans are now expected to move on to consider Tulsi Gabbard— Trump's pick for national intelligence director— and Robert F. Kennedy as Health and Human Services secretary, as part of the next batch of Trump nominees set to be confirmed.
The Thursday holdover came after ten Democratic senators on the panel requested Patel be brought back for another confirmation hearing earlier this week, citing the need to ask him about what they claim were "apparent falsehoods."
"In order to discharge our constitutional duty, we must have a full and accurate understanding of Patel's record," the lawmakers wrote. "The committee must fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the 38,000 employees of the FBI nationwide to ensure that a Director confirmed by the Senate possesses the requisite characteristics of truthfulness, trustworthiness, and regard for the protection of classified information benefitting the FBI."
But Grassley denied the request, calling it "unnecessary" in a statement Tuesday, and saying his committee plans to take a final vote on Patel as early as next week.
"Kash Patel testified before the Committee for more than five hours, disclosed thousands of pages of records and media appearances, and provided 147 pages of responses to written questions," the panel's GOP chairman wrote, adding "I intend to hold a final committee vote on Patel's nomination as soon as next week."
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
