Indian American Kash Patel on Thursday told lawmakers that he has been subjected to racism while growing up as an individual.
“Unfortunately, Senator, yes. I don’t want to get into those details with my family here,” Patel, 44, told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing to be the FBI Director.
If confirmed, he would be the first Hindu and Indian American to be FBI Director. Patel was responding to a question from Senator Lindsey Graham if he has ever been subject to racism as an individual.
“If you look at the record from January 6th, where I testified before that committee, because of my personal information being released by the Congress, I was subjected to a direct and significant threat on my life. And I put that information in the record. I had to move,” he said.
“I was called a detestable — and I’ll apologise if I don’t get it all right, but it’s in the record — a detestable sand nigger who had no right being in this country. You should go back to where you came from. You belong with your terrorist home friends. That’s what was sent to me. That’s just the piece of it, but that’s nothing compared to what the men and women in law enforcement face every day,” Patel said.
His family members, including his father and mother, who flew from India, were present at the Capitol Hill during the confirmation process.
“I wouldn’t be here today without their guidance, their unwavering support, and their relentless love. When President Trump informed me of his intention to nominate me as the director of the FBI, I was deeply honoured.
“Sitting here today, I carry not only the dreams of my parents but also the hopes of millions of Americans who stand for justice, fairness, and the rule of law,” he said.
Patel said his father fled Idi Amin’s genocidal dictatorship in Uganda, where 300,000 men, women and children were killed based on their ethnicity just because they happened to look like me.
“My mother is originally from Tanzania. She studied in India, as did my dad, and they were married there. They would later emigrate to New York, as the senator pointed out, where I was born, and we were raised in a household of my father’s seven siblings, their spouses, and at least half a dozen children.
“That’s the only way we knew how to do things at the time, in the ’70s and ’80s, the Indian way, but we would soon learn the American way,” he said.
Senator Thom Tillis said he is convinced that Patel possesses significant expertise and ironclad commitment to justice and he’s an outstanding choice to lead the FBI.
“Kash’s parents are Indian immigrants of Gujarati ancestry. They’re up here in the front row. The Gujarat state is a melting pot of religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, with temples, mosques and other religious sites scattered across the state. His father was raised in Uganda, but his family had to flee the country to escape repression under Idi Amin. His mother was born in Tanzania,” he said.
“They met and married in India, and ultimately, made their way to New York City by way of Canada, where his parents along with seven brothers and sisters and their spouses and at least a half a dozen kids lived under the same roof. His parents raised Kash in the Hindu faith and they instilled in him the values of hard work and education,” Tellis said.
“Kash is a devout Hindu, and consistent with his faith, he’s shown respect to people of all faiths,” he added.
Senator Chuck Grassley said Patel’s career has been a study in fighting unpopular but righteous causes, exposing corruption, and putting America first.
Referring to the attacks on Patel by his opponents during his work in the House of Representatives, Grassley said Patel has been accused of having “an enemies list”.
“This is not a fair characterisation,” he said and added “There is no revenge list.” “Mr Patel has identified those he believes have put politics and personal ambition over service to the country. He has called out those who’ve used the institutions like the FBI to achieve their own personal gain,” he said.
“Mr Patel has said he believes that people who do this should be named and that Americans deserve transparency so that they can make their own judgement, as they did in this last election. Other attacks against Mr Patel are similarly unfounded,” Grassley said.
Patel assured the lawmakers that the priority of the FBI, if he is confirmed, will be to ensure that the communities are protected and safeguarded and children have parks to play in and not needles to walk over.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)