THE WASHINGTON POST: FBI Director Kash Patel clashes with House Democrats over Epstein files

FBI Director Kash Patel rejected assertions from Democratic lawmakers that he is concealing evidence from the investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and said the bureau had released all that was legally allowed.

Fielding questions from the House Judiciary Committee, Mr Patel maintained that the FBI had no “credible” evidence implicating others in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking of young women.

But he sidestepped answering how prominently President Donald Trump’s name featured in investigators’ files on the case. Mr Patel said he had never spoken directly to the president about the Epstein files. He acknowledged that he had not personally reviewed all the evidence the bureau had amassed.

“Any allegations that I’m part of a cover-up to protect child sexual trafficking and victims of human trafficking and sexual crimes is patently false,” Patel said.

“We have released more material than anyone else before,” he said. “The Biden administration, the Obama administration had the opportunity to release this exact material. They never did.”

But House Democrats kept coming back to questions about Trump. Patel insisted he had not held back any credible evidence related to the president. Trump, a former Epstein friend, has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity.

“It’s not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. “Democrats and the media knew about Epstein and his victims for years and did nothing to help them while President Trump was calling for transparency, and is now delivering on it with thousands of pages of documents.”

Wednesday’s oversight hearing was the second day of congressional testimony for Patel, whose seven-month tenure as FBI director has seen him embroiled in several controversies and left his future in the role in doubt.

In a contentious Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, the director rejected criticism over his firing of scores of agents and senior FBI leaders, and missteps during the investigation into the slaying of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

As in that earlier proceeding, Patel struck a defiant tone at the House proceeding Wednesday, local time. He repeatedly dismissed questions from Democrats as “disgusting,” based on false premises and as efforts to score viral media moments.

“You are hiding the Epstein files, Mr Patel. You are part of the cover-up,” Democrat New York representative Dan Goldman said to him at one point. Patel shot back, calling the accusation “patently and categorically false.”

“Your fixation on this matter and baseless accusations that I’m hiding child paedophiles is disgusting,” he later told California Democrat Eric Swalwell in a heated exchange. Mr Patel added later: “I’m going to borrow your terminology and call bulls... on your entire career.”

Despite that vitriol, Democrats managed to wring some answers from Patel on the Epstein probe - a matter that has riven the House for weeks.

Republicans, facing increasing pressure from their base and some members of their conference, reluctantly subpoenaed the Justice Department for its Epstein files last month. And Democrats have eagerly seized upon divisions the issue has exposed within the GOP to exert political pressure on their rivals.

Florida Democrat Jared Moskowitz baulked Wednesday at Mr Trump’s assertion that his signature had been forged on a sexually suggestive 2003 birthday note to Epstein. The message, including a drawing of a nude woman’s form that purportedly bears the president’s writing, was included in a book assembled for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Epstein’s estate, under subpoena, produced a copy of the book and gave it to Congress last week.

“Will you be opening up an investigation into the Epstein estate for putting out a fake document with the president’s signature linking him to the world’s largest peadophile ring?” Mr Moskowitz asked Mr Patel.

“Sure. I’ll do it,” Patel replied.

Patel also committed the FBI to further meetings with Epstein’s accusers, who have said they feel their allegations of involvement by others have never been fully investigated. He stopped short, however, of saying he would personally meet with them.