Democratic lawmakers at a Justice Department budget hearing Tuesday blasted FBI Director Kash Patel about his behavior, as well as fresh reports about the Trump administration’s investigations into internal leaks and the president’s enemies.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., began the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing by condemning the firing of FBI agents and accusing Patel of “weaponizing” the agency to seek political revenge on behalf of Trump, particularly against journalists “who write stories that you don’t like.”
Van Hollen called reports of Patel’s misconduct, specifically his drunken behavior, which he has denied, “extremely alarming.”
“If true, they demonstrate a gross dereliction of your duty and a betrayal of public trust,” Van Hollen said.
In a loud exchange, Patel then accused Van Hollen of “drinking margaritas with felons,” alluding to a photo Van Hollen has said was staged when he went to El Salvador to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was illegally deported.
“You drink during the day, that’s you,” Patel said.
Asked by Van Hollen if he would take a test to determine whether he has a drinking problem, Patel agreed to do it alongside him.
“I’ll take any test you’re willing to take,” Patel said.
In his opening remarks, Patel touted successes under his leadership and tried to frame Van Hollen’s comments as an attack on the bureau.
“This FBI is doing a historic level of crime reduction across the country. I’m proud to lead it,” Patel said. “And if you want to cite media reporting to discredit the men and women of the FBI, go right ahead. The target’s right here. The mission’s never been more successful.”
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., questioned Patel about his trip to the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, where he was captured on video chugging beer with the U.S. men’s hockey team in a locker room. Coons asked how much the trip cost and how it furthered the FBI’s mission.
Patel did not offer a number but said that there were no major security issues involving American citizens at the Games, and that it is standard practice for the FBI and other federal agencies to work security at sporting events such as the Olympics, World Cup, F1 races and the Super Bowl.
Patel said the trip coincided with a mission to return to the U.S. a top Chinese cyber criminal who at the time was housed in Italian custody.
Patel’s appearance before the committee, alongside the heads of the DEA and the ATF, comes on the heels of new reports that the Justice Department subpoenaed journalists covering the Iran war to uncover their sources at the direction of President Donald Trump, according to CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
Trump indirectly instructed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to investigate the reporters by placing a sticky note with the word “treason” written on it atop a stack of printed news articles, officials familiar with the matter told the news outlets.
After Blanche received the stack of articles, the DOJ issued several subpoenas, according to the reports. The department’s National Security Division was already planning to look into some of the stories’ sources, but Trump’s concern expedited the effort, one official told CNN.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on the reports. A spokesperson for the department told the Journal that “in all circumstances, the Department of Justice follows the facts and applies the law to identify those committing crimes against the United States.”
Separately, a person directly familiar with the matter confirmed to MS NOW that FBI agents have been conducting voluntary interviews of CIA officers as part of the investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan over his role in the investigation that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections. Last month, the DOJ began withdrawing several subpoenas it had issued in the criminal probe of Brennan, opting instead for the voluntary interviews.
MS NOW’s Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig contributed to this report.
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