WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today voted against advancing the nomination of Kash Patel in the Senate Judiciary Committee, President Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and expressed his opposition:  

“In my view, the beginning of the Trump Administration is showing a contempt for the Constitution and a lawlessness that is dangerous for the republic [add]…” said Senator Peter Welch. “We, each of us, must be custodians of that constitutional order and our role as the legislature, in it. Tough judgments have to be made. My judgment is that the President is showing absolute contempt for the United States Congress. And the next stop is contempt for the United States Judiciary. I cannot vote for a person who signed onto that agenda.”  

Watch the Senator’s full remarks below: 

Read Senator Welch’s remarks as delivered here. 

During Patel’s confirmation hearing, Senator Welch grilled the nominee about his refusal to acknowledge that President Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election and stressed the importance of combatting any attempt to weaponize the Justice Department and the FBI under the Trump Administration. Earlier this week, Senator Welch reacted to reports that Patel has been personally involved in the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to target and fire career FBI agents and officials. Under oath, Mr. Patel told Senator Welch he had no recollection of the purge at the FBI. Senator Welch reacted: 

“If these reports are true, this is perjury. Under oath, Kash Patel said he had no recollection of any discussions or details about plans to purge career FBI agents—but whistleblowers have revealed that he was not only aware but orchestrating it. Kash Patel’s goal is to wreck the FBI, and my colleagues across the aisle must vote no.”    

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