December 10:
In their pursuit of important leadership roles under President-elect Trump, Indian-American candidates for the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard have met with multiple senators at Capitol Hill this week. With an agenda centered on openness, Kash Patel is reaching out for support. However, as she attempts to allay Republican worries regarding her foreign policy opinions, particularly her contentious positions on Russia and Syria, Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and Trump's choice for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), encounters a pivotal test.
At his meetings, Kash Patel outlined his plans to reform the FBI, with an emphasis on making the agency more accountable and open to the public. Rep. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) met with Patel and then released a strong statement.In his speech, Grassley said that government transparency should serve as its guiding principle. "Kash, having served as an investigator for Congress before, knows full well that protecting whistleblowers is critical and that working with Congress is mandatory."
Grassley's support for Patel reflects Trump's faith in his nominee. Trump reiterated Patel's resolve to combat corruption by saying, "He's going to do what he thinks is right" during an interview.
Patel was also supported by other senators. It was tweeted by Republican Iowa senator Joni Ernst that "Kash Patel will create much-needed transparency at the FBI... and put government employees to work for the citizens of the United States!
After meeting with Ernst, Patel spoke to the need for reform within the FBI and said, "Sen. Ernst is that partner."
"We discussed the current state of the department, his leadership vision, and our shared priorities of keeping this country safe, and particularly the critical work being done in Clarksburg, WV," remarked Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who expressed gratitude for her meeting with Patel.
To further discuss FISA changes, Patel met with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is also the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus. As a result of Patel's leadership, there has been a "strong commitment to law and order," according to Utah Senator Mike Lee (R).
Senate Republicans are looking into Gabbard's history of remarks and actions, including her 2017 trip to Syria, during which she said that then-President Bashar Assad was not a "enemy" of the United States.
Republican senator from West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito stated, "There's just a lot of questions that need to be answered," urging Gabbard to clarify her stances.
But Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma spoke out in favor of Gabbard, praising her military service. I think she's got it figured out. "She would be fantastic in that role," Mullin remarked. Critics of Gabbard's military experience have been called "bulls—" by Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, who has emphasized her current Top Secret clearance.
In response to the worries, Gabbard lauded the leadership of previous President Trump in lowering global conflicts and reaffirmed her dedication to "peace through strength." Gabbard and Patel are hoping to gain ground before their Senate hearings, despite the fact that they are both facing uphill confirmation battles.
