Kash Patel faced tense moments during a hearing late last month as progressive lawmakers questioned his fitness to lead the FBI.

However, Senate Democrats went further on Thursday when they delayed a vote on whether to move Patel out of committee. 

Sen. Dick Durbin: "This is an unusual nomination"

According to the New York Post, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley acknowledged that Democrats were entitled to slow down the proceedings.

Grassley was quoted as saying that "the minority has exercised their right and my right under the committee rules to hold over the nomination of Kash Patel to lead the FBI."

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin is the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking member, and the Post noted how in arguing for the delay, Durbin stressed that FBI directors typically serve for far longer than department secretaries.

"This is an unusual nomination, and it’s a 10-year nomination," Durbin stressed before adding that the FBI director's decade-long tenure was adopted "to make sure that we took politics out of the equation."

Questions over Patel's involvement with song by January 6 convicts

While Patel is opposed by Democrats, Fox News reported in December that he received an endorsement from the National Police Association (NPA).

"The law enforcement community knows that effective leadership at the FBI is essential for building public trust and enhancing coordination across all levels of policing," a statement from the agency read.

"Kash Patel's proven record of leadership, expertise in counterterrorism and intelligence, and ability to navigate complex legal and operational challenges make him the ideal candidate to restore faith in the FBI's mission and ensure it remains a steadfast ally to our nation's police forces," it asserted.

The NPA is "confident that under his stewardship, the FBI will thrive in its vital mission to protect and serve the American people."