Kash Patel, Trump's FBI nominee, described racist threats against him

As Democrats accused Kash Patel on Thursday of cavorting with racists, the nominee to lead the FBI responded by telling them of the vicious racism he has personally faced.

Testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee, President Trump’s nominee to lead — and upend — the bureau said one threat to his life called him a “sand n——-.”

Democrats are trying to derail his nomination and pointed to a series of right-wing figures he has been photographed with or appeared with on their shows.

Mr. Patel, who is of Indian heritage, resisted what he called “guilt by association.”

“I certainly don’t believe that an individual who was the first minority to serve as deputy director for national intelligence for this country is a racist in any way, and I detest any conjecture to the contrary,” he said.

He was reluctant to discuss the specific racism he said he had faced himself, citing his family in the audience. But Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, pressed him for details.

Mr. Patel then revealed that Democrats’ investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol ended up leaking his information, which led to “a direct and significant threat on my life.”

“In that threat, I was called a … detestable sand n——- who had no right being in this country,” Mr. Patel told senators.