Kash Patel hearing: FBI director nominee pressed on Jan. 6, conspiracy comments
President Trump's pick to lead the FBI faced his Senate confirmation hearing.
Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's pick for FBI director, faced members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in his confirmation hearing Thursday.
Patel, a staunch Trump ally, was the acting deputy director of national intelligence during the last year of Trump's first presidency. He has said it's his mission to "annihilate" the so-called "Deep State" of "unelected tyrants" inside government.
Among his supporters, Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has called Patel's career "a study in fighting for unpopular but righteous causes, exposing corruption, and putting America First."
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Patel asked about past association with Laura Loomer
Sen. Durbin questioned Patel over his past association with far-right extremist figures, including Laura Loomer -- who has regularly peddled conspiracy theories and racist tropes to attack those opposed to President Trump.
When asked about a picture showing Patel and Loomer together at an event promoting one of Patel's previous books, Patel declined to criticize Loomer directly but said he rejected any suggestion of "guilt by association."
"I don't believe I'm guilty by association, and I certainly don't believe that an individual who is the first minority to serve as a Deputy Director of National Intelligence for this country is a racist in any way. And I detest any conjecture to the contrary," he said.
Patel pushes back on Durbin regarding Jan. 6
Sen. Durbin continued to press Patel on issues related to Jan. 6.
He noted that one of the Jan. 6 defendants granted clemency by President Trump's recent broad action committed violence against police on Jan. 6 and after his release was shot by police when he pulled a gun. Durbin pressed Patel over whether Trump was wrong to give such blanket clemency.
Patel seemed to publicly break with Trump, to a point, saying, "I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement ... and I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement."
The nominee added he has "always advocated for imprisoning those who caused harm" to law enforcement and civilians.
Durbin also pressed Patel on his role in the "J6 choir," the group of jailed Jan. 6 defendants who raised funds by releasing a song from jail.
Patel insisted that he just helped raise funds for only nonviolent offenders, but he also said he didn't know who actually sang on the recording that was released.
Patel addresses QAnon comments
Sen. Grassley sought to rebut expected questioning from Democrats of past quotes from Patel that appeared favorable to the "QAnon" conspiracy movement -- which previously surfaced during Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing for attorney general.
Bondi, during that hearing, notably answered that Patel would have to answer for himself the comments he made with respect to QAnon.
"I have publicly, including in the interview provided to this committee, rejected outright QAnon's baseless conspiracy theories or any other baseless conspiracy theories," Patel said.
Patel discusses Jan. 6 rioters
Sen. Grassley questioned Patel on his opinion about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, mostly glossing over his past comments that have suggested law enforcement was partly culpable in the attack.
In answering, Patel struck a different tone than one we have continually heard from President Trump, who in one of his first acts in office pardoned hundreds of rioters who violently attacked police.
"As for Jan. 6 and I have repeatedly, often publicly and privately, said there can never be a tolerance for violence against law enforcement," Patel said. "And anyone, anyone that commits an act of violence against law enforcement must be investigated, prosecuted and imprisoned."