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FIRST ON FOX: Now-FBI Director Kash Patel labored arduous to get the Senate assist mandatory for affirmation, finding out the lawmakers, sitting for numerous conferences and even enlisting the help of Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to prep for his listening to, Fox Information Digital has discovered.
Patel met with 61 senators in his bid to tackle the position that President Donald Trump nominated him for, a transition official informed Fox Information Digital.
They famous that is vital for a place that’s not even inside the president’s Cupboard.
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Kash Patel’s affirmation was the results of a big and long-term effort to get senators’ assist. (Reuters)
“He studied what was necessary to the FBI and everybody in these conferences,” they stated, explaining how near house the query of who directs the bureau hits for every senator.
“You may contact and really feel an FBI workplace in almost each state.”
Distinguished Republicans Lee and Cruz had been a part of “homicide board” periods to critique and query Patel earlier than his listening to. There have been roughly 10 such conferences to arrange him.
“I used to be glad to help Director Patel by means of the affirmation course of, as a result of President Trump picked a person of nice integrity and dedication to guide the FBI. America will probably be extra free, honest, and secure with him on the Bureau,” Lee informed Fox Information Digital in a press release.
A supply acquainted stated the periods consisted of a collection of round-robin questions on hot-button points. He was requested about among the FBI controversies of current reminiscence, significantly former FBI officers Peter Strzok and Lisa Web page, who infamously exchanged anti-Trump textual content messages whereas investigating him for potential collusion with Russia.
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Kash Patel is sworn in as FBI director by U.S. Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi within the Eisenhower Govt Workplace Constructing in Washington on Feb. 21, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)
Additionally they took turns grilling Patel over a bunch of people listed in his 2023 e book who he considers deep-state actors. Democrats dubbed it an “enemies listing,” which the then-nominee denied.
In keeping with the transition official, the keenness was palpable upon Patel’s nomination.
“There is a cadre of senators that knew Kash earlier than he was nominated,” they stated, including that they had been excited.
He was confirmed final week by a slender margin of 51-49. This caught his group abruptly as they really anticipated each Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to return down in favor of his nomination.
Throughout his assembly with Collins, a supply acquainted informed Fox Information Digital that Patel referenced the truth that she is the one elected Republican from Maine in Congress and is up for re-election in 2026. The then-nominee additionally informed her that he understood if she was able by which she could not vote for him.
Collins’ workplace didn’t present remark to Fox Information Digital in time for publication.
Patel’s conferences with each Collins and Murkowski had been good, per the transition official.
“Kash and Lisa had many conversations and talked loads,” they defined.
Whereas she did not vote for him, the Alaska Republican did name Patel within the hours main as much as the vote, giving him a heads-up that she wasn’t going to have the ability to assist him, a supply acquainted shared.
One other vital vote was that of former Senate Republican Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who opted to assist Patel after opposing Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Well being and Human Companies Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
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McConnell shocked some when he supported Patel. (AP Photograph/Mark Schiefelbein)
Trump’s group main Patel by means of the method had strategically labored on getting McConnell’s backing behind closed doorways.
Earlier than Christmas, the then-nominee had already finished 40 conferences with senators. This was on function; they wished to get senators speaking with one another, the supply stated.
This early assembly blitz was particularly designed to put the groundwork for Patel’s eventual discussions with McConnell, Murkowski and Collins, together with others who had been probably skeptical.
When McConnell’s assembly got here round, it appeared the technique labored, with the seemingly open-minded Republican asking questions on Patel’s background expertise in legislation and nationwide safety. McConnell additionally appeared significantly eager about Patel’s plans to extend transparency.
One other key win for the now-FBI director was having Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in his nook. The senator had beforehand hesitated on Hegseth’s affirmation, ready till the final minute to announce his assist.
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Tillis, left, was one in every of Patel’s most vocal supporters. (Getty Pictures)
What really offered Tillis on supporting Patel, with whom he was comparatively unfamiliar, was the opinion of former South Carolina Republican congressman and present Fox Information weekend host Trey Gowdy. Patel and Gowdy labored with each other when the previous was a staffer for former Republican congressman Devin Nunes. The 2 had been a part of investigating the FBI’s probe into potential Russian interference within the 2016 election.
Gowdy spoke with Fox Information Digital, sharing that he obtained calls about his expertise with Patel from “possibly a dozen” senators. He stated he was glad to share his opinion however urged every of them to fulfill with the nominee themselves fairly than simply take his phrase for it.
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Tillis shortly turned one in every of Patel’s greatest supporters, giving him recommendation as he met with different lawmakers.
The North Carolina Republican even launched Patel for his listening to earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee, additionally making a “Ok$H Bingo” recreation that included topics Tillis anticipated to be introduced up by Democrats throughout the listening to. The sheet included topics corresponding to “Deep State,” “Enemies Listing” and Part 702 of the Overseas Intelligence Surveillance Act, amongst others.
Julia Johnson is a politics author for Fox Information Digital and Fox Enterprise, main protection of the U.S. Senate. She was beforehand a politics reporter on the Washington Examiner.
Observe Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and ship tricks to [email protected].
