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Key Senate Democrat on Tuesday accused Donald Trump's pick to Lead FBI, Kash Patel of committing a
perjury
while testifying during his confirmation hearing.
Top Democrat on the
judiciary committee
, Senator dick Dublin said that the Patel “may have committed perjury” in testifying he didn’t know about the purge of top officials at the bureau.
“I hope that what I reveal today from credible whistleblowers at the highest levels will give my Republican colleagues some pause before it’s too late,” Durbin said on the Senate floor.
“If these allegations are true, then Mr. Patel may have committed perjury before the Senate Judiciary Committee,” he added.
Durbin’s accusation focused on the dismissal of top FBI officials in late January, as part of Trump naming appointees as part of his new administration.
Patel had stated previously he wanted to overhaul the FBI, through steps such as closing the agency’s headquarters in downtown Washington, DC, and spreading more staffers nationwide.
Meanwhile, Patel's spokesperson Erica Knight refuted Durbin's claims as "second hand gossip" and urged senators to confirm him.
"Kash Patel is a highly qualified national security expert who has been fully transparent with the American people throughout this process," Knight said.
During Patel’s
Senate confirmation hearing
on January 30, the Senate asked the
FBI director nominee
if he was aware of plans to punish or terminate FBI personnel associated with investigations of Trump.
Patel replied to Booker that he was “not aware of” of plans to punish FBI officials.
“I don’t know what’s going on right now over there, but I’m committed to you, senator, and your colleagues that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI,” Patel said.
During his confirmation hearing, Patel also pledged to restore public trust in the agency and combat violent crime during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He also committed to greater cooperation with Congress, promising to respond to all appropriate requests for information. "Members of Congress have unfortunately submitted hundreds of questions that have been unanswered by the FBI in recent times.
Patel, a former National Security Council senior director and House Intelligence Committee staffer, highlighted his experience in counterterrorism and intelligence operations. He recalled investigating Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuses, which he claimed damaged public confidence in the FBI.
