More than half a million law enforcement personnel back Patel as FBI director

More than 680,000 law enforcement personnel have urged the Senate to confirm President Donald Trump's FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, as quickly as possible – a show of support that comes as Democrats on the panel have moved to delay his confirmation ahead of a planned vote this Thursday.

The total number of supporters from law enforcement agencies was shared exclusively with Fox News Digital, and includes state, local and federal backers from groups including the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National Police Association and more than 370,00 members of the national Fraternal Order of Police, which announced their support for Patel Monday night.

'Throughout the course of his federal career, Mr. Patel has become very well acquainted with our national security apparatus and the threats the United States faces abroad,' the group said in the letter to the Republican chairman and top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

This group touted Patel's experience as a trial attorney for the Justice Department's National Security Division, at the National Security Council and later at the Department of Defense, where he previously served as chief of staff to the department's acting secretary. 

They also cited a 'broad-ranging conversation' the group had with Patel, in which they said he 'made a compelling case about his commitment to public safety and ways in which the FBI can support state and local law enforcement agencies.'

'He has committed to building on the level of trust and collegiality the FBI enjoys with the law enforcement community, and we will all benefit from the enhanced impact the FBI can have on public safety in our communities.'

The groups have praised what they described as Patel's 'unwavering commitment' to upholding the rule of law, defending justice, and protecting the American people.

The endorsements come just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to vote to advance Patel's nomination to be FBI director – a vote that has come under fresh scrutiny from Judiciary Democrats, who have cited recent efforts by the Trump administration to investigate FBI personnel involved in the Jan. 6 investigations. 

Trump also touched off new concerns and criticism last week when he said he planned to fire at least some of the FBI officials involved in the Jan. 6 investigation, telling reporters that at least some of the agents, in his view, 'were corrupt.'

'Those people are gone, or they will be gone,' Trump said of the agents, adding that it will be done 'quickly and very surgically.' 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on what, if any, new information Trump had received about the allegedly corrupt activity of the bureau, or the number of personnel that could be impacted.

Patel, for his part, used his confirmation hearing late last month to assure lawmakers he would protect agents against political retribution or efforts to weaponize the bureau. 

'All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution,' Patel told Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., during that hearing. 

Last week, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee succeeded in temporarily postponing Patel's confirmation hearing – pushing the committee vote to Thursday, Feb. 13 – as they demanded a second hearing from the Trump-aligned former Defense Department official seeking clarity on his previous remarks and his candor. 

Democrats criticized Patel for both his previous actions and his remarks made on podcasts, social media and in his book, saying that in their view, Patel failed to assuage any of their concerns last week during his confirmation hearing – primarily, questions of whether he would take moves to ensure the bureau can continue to act without political interference. 

Still, the opposition has been sharply contested by the panel's chairman, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

Grassley chastised attempts by Democrats to force Patel to testify again in a statement last week, dismissing the effort as 'baseless.'

He noted that Patel had already sat through a nearly six-hour Senate confirmation hearing, submitted 'thousands of pages' of records to the panel, and nearly 150 pages of responses to lawmakers' written questions.

Barring any unexpected opposition, Patel is expected to clear both the committee vote Thursday morning and the full vote in the Republican-led chamber.