Kash Patel says he 'always' rejected violence against law enforcement on Jan. 6

FBI Director nominee Kash Patel denounced political violence when the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee pressed him about his views on the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and his appearances on right-wing podcasts.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, asked whether Mr. Patel could defend Mr. Trump’s pardon of over 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, particularly those who violently assaulted law enforcement officers.

“I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement, and I have included in that group any violence against law enforcement on January 6, and I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement,” he said.

Mr. Patel was pressed by Mr. Durbin on whether he thought the country was “safer” since Mr. Trump issued the Jan. 6 pardons.

“I have always advocated for imprisoning those that cause harm to our law enforcement and civilian communities. I also believe America is not safer because of President Biden’s commutation of a man who murdered two FBI agents,” Mr. Patel said about Mr. Biden’s clemency of Leonard Peltier.

Mr. Durbin asked about Mr. Patel’s appearances on podcasts where the hosts made claims about government conspiracies, including a podcast hosted by right-wing internet shock jock Stu Peters.

Mr. Patel said he could not immediately recall being on Mr. Peters’ podcast.

The senator then asked why Mr. Patel was associated with so many extremist individuals.

“My association, as you loosely define it, is by appearing in media over 1000 times, to take on people who are putting on conspiratorial theories and to devour them of their false impressions and to talk to them about the truth,” Mr. Patel said.