Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed concerns during a committee executive business meeting focused on nominees for key positions within the Department of Justice. The nominations under consideration were Harmeet Dhillon for Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Aaron Reitz for Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy, and D. John Sauer for Solicitor General of the United States.

In his remarks, Durbin criticized recent actions by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. He stated that both have "plowed through many of the guardrails" intended to prevent misuse of investigative and prosecutorial powers against citizens since their confirmations.

Durbin highlighted a statement made by Bondi during her confirmation hearing where she asserted that politics would not influence the Justice Department's operations. However, he pointed out a subsequent interview where Bondi indicated intentions to remove individuals in her department who oppose Donald Trump.

He also expressed concern over Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's decision to replace senior career officials in key offices with political appointees. This move has shifted decision-making power on ethics and other matters solely to political appointees.

Further criticism was directed at FBI Director Kash Patel. Despite his promise during confirmation hearings to respect internal review processes before removing officials, credible sources suggest he was involved in purging senior FBI officials even before taking office. Since his confirmation, Patel has reportedly placed political loyalists in critical roles within the FBI and reduced staffing in units responsible for civil rights and public corruption investigations.

Durbin warned that these changes have weakened both departments' abilities to address public safety and national security threats effectively. He voiced concerns about potential consequences resulting from these decisions.

Video, audio, and footage of Durbin’s opening statement are available through various media outlets.