FBI Director Kash Patel clashes with House lawmakers over Epstein files
FBI Director Kash Patel faced questions about his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files when he appeared before the House Judiciary Committee for a roughly five-hour hearing Wednesday -- sparring with lawmakers calling for answers about unreleased documents in the investigation.
Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and Patel argued over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The Trump administration has been dealing with blowback it received from the president's supporters for its decision to not release more materials related to the investigation into Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019.
Raskin asked why Patel hadn't "released the names of Epstein's co-conspirators in the rape and sex trafficking of young women and girls." The FBI and prosecutors investigated Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators -- even after his death. That investigation resulted in the 2020 indictment and subsequent conviction of Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Prosecutors otherwise have not made public statements about any particular individual they suspect of conspiring with Epstein.
Patel fired back at Raskin that "we have released more material than anyone else before," adding that the FBI has released "everything the court has allowed us."
Earlier this month the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released tens of thousands of records related to Epstein, provided by the Department of Justice. A review of the documents released by the committee indicates they consist of public court filings and transcripts from Maxwell’s trial, previously released flight logs from Epstein's plane, already public Bureau of Prisons communications the night of Epstein’s death and various other public court papers from Epstein’s criminal case in Florida.
On Tuesday, the committee's Chairman James Comer said it received additional documents from the Epstein estate, which he said it plans to release to the public at some point.
Raskin responded to Patel, saying that the FBI's release of documents has "nothing to do with what those courts have," accusing Patel of going against comments he made before becoming FBI director where he suggested that the federal government was shielding information regarding the Epstein case and that the FBI director has direct control of the Epstein files.
"Do you know how the law works?" Patel asked, later adding "I'm not going to break the law to satisfy your curiosity."
Raskin said Patel's answers were "all misdirection."
Later, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who filed a discharge petition for the release of the Epstein files, challenged Patel on the FBI director's claim -- which he made before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday -- that there is no credible information that Epstein trafficked women to anyone other than himself. In doing so, Massie noted that alleged victims of Epstein have provided interviews to the FBI which detail allegations, according to Massie, against at least 20 men.
Patel claimed in response to Massie -- who asked if he had decided that these allegations that were not credible -- that it wasn't his assertion, but it was the assessment of three separate U.S. Attorneys from separate administrations.
In another testy exchange, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell said he "called b-------" on Patel's claims about courts preventing the release of documents. Swalwell also repeatedly tried to get Patel to answer "yes or no" to a question about whether he told Attorney General Pam Bondi that the president's name appeared in the Epstein files. Patel never answered directly and the whole exchange ended up in a shouting match between the two.
"I'm going to borrow your terminology and call b------- on your entire career in Congress, which is a disgrace to the American public," Patel said to Swalwell.
When Democratic Rep. Daniel Goldman went after Patel for not releasing the "full Epstein files," Patel said the FBI is "releasing as much as legally allowed."
"You are hiding the Epstein files! You are part of the cover up," Goldman claimed.
Trump's name appears in the Epstein files; a name appearing in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Earlier this month, the House Oversight Committee said it obtained Epstein's "birthday book," which is said to contain the letter that Trump allegedly signed for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. Trump has denied writing the letter -- calling it "fake."
Patel's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday was also marked by explosive interactions with Democrats. During his appearance, he feuded with Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Cory Booker -- at one point calling the California senator a "political buffoon" and an "utter coward."
Schiff hit back as the two yelled over each other: "You can make an internet troll the FBI director, but [he] will always be nothing more than an internet troll."
In a shouting match with Booker, the New Jersey senator said that Patel was making the country "weaker and less safe."
Patel fired back that Booker's comments do "not bring this country together."
Charlie Kirk shooting investigation
Patel defended his work leading the agency and touting the quick arrest of the suspect in the shooting of conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk last week.
Patel used his opening statement to highlight the work he has done in his first few months leading the FBI -- including putting out pictures of the suspect in the Kirk case, which he said "led to his apprehension."
"Because of the video that the FBI released under my direction, because of the photographs that they released, they identified their son," Patel said of the details of the apprehension of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the alleged shooter in Kirk's killing last week.
Patel's comments come after he faced questions about Kirk's assassination when he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, he said the FBI is investigating if others are involved after the online messaging platform, Discord confirmed reports that before the shooting the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, posted messages to a small group of friends on the platform that allegedly said, "Hey guys, I have bad news for you all … It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this."
"There are a number of individuals that are currently being investigated and interrogated, and a number yet to be investigated and interrogated, specific to that chat room. So we are very much in our ongoing posture of investigation," Patel said, adding that other people could be involved.
The investigation into Kirk's death is ongoing. On Tuesday, Robinson was charged with a slew of offenses, including aggravated murder. No one else has been charged in the killing.
ABC News' James Hill contributed to this report.
