Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin (D-IL) doubled down on his claim that Kash Patel personally orchestrated a “purge” of senior law enforcement officials within the bureau and implored his colleagues to “pause” consideration of Patel’s nomination during a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday.

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday accused FBI director nominee Kash Patel of acting behind the scenes to direct a “purge” of career officials at the agency, adding to what he called “myriad red flags” about Patel ahead of a panel vote set for Thursday.

Kash Patel, who is President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, was accused of directing firings of senior FBI officials from outside the agency.