A senior Democrat has accused Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s controversial nominee as FBI director, of having already secretly orchestrated a purge of the bureau’s agents even as senators debate whether to confirm him in the post.

Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate judiciary committee, said he had “highly credible information” that Patel had given orders to sack senior personnel when he had no power to do so as a private citizen – directly contradicting testimony he had given at a confirmation hearing.

He called the alleged misconduct “absolutely beyond the pale” and demanded an immediate investigation.

The allegations, made in a letter to the justice department inspector general, Michael Horowitz, and first reported by the New York Times, raised the possibility that Patel had committed perjury, he added.

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“Although Mr Patel is President Trump’s nominee to be FBI Director, he is still a private citizen with no role in government,” Durbin wrote. “It is unacceptable for a nominee with no current role in government, much less at the FBI, to personally direct unjustified and potentially illegal adverse employment actions against senior career FBI leadership and other dedicated, nonpartisan law enforcement officers.”

Durbin alleged that Patel’s orders were being enforced through the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, along with the acting attorney general, Emil Bove, and a newly formed FBI director’s advisory team (DAT).

On 29 January, a meeting had been called with the acting FBI director, Brian Driscoll, and his acting deputy, Robert Kissane, where they were told that a group of executive assistant directors and other supervisors must be fired. The DAT was said to possess a written list of targeted officials, according to Durbin.

Contemporaneous notes of the meeting read “[Kash Patel] wants movement at FBI, reciprocal actions for DOJ,” Durbin wrote.

Bove is said to have told the meeting that Miller had phoned him multiple times the previous evening, pressing for action because Patel was demanding a faster removal of agents who had been involved in investigations involving Trump, in line with the sackings of prosecutors at the justice department.

“According to my sources, Mr Patel is receiving information from within the FBI from a member of the DAT,” Durbin wrote. “Mr Patel then provides direction to Mr Miller, who relays it to Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove.”

he timeline conflicts with a response Patel gave to a Senate judiciary committee hearing at his confirmation hearing on 30 January, when he was asked by another Democratic, Cory Booker, if he was aware of moves to punish or remove FBI agents involved with investigations into Trump.

Patel answered that he “not aware of that”, and added: “I don’t know what’s going on right now over there, but I’m committed to you, senator, and your colleagues that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI.”

Critics have said Patel, one of Trump’s most loyal lieutenants, would weaponise the FBI against the president’s political opponents if he becomes the agency’s director. In a 2023 book, Government Gangsters, Patel identified 60 officials and public figures that he alleged to be part of a “deep state” dedicated to undermining Trump.

A final vote on his confirmation is expected next week.