FBI Oversight Hearing

missing for years, and also most importantly, to reduce the homicide rate and return Memphis to the great city that it was.

Senator Blackburn (01:27:30):

And across the country, how many children have you found?

Director Patel (01:27:34):

11,100 in the last 18 months. That's in 20...

Senator Blackburn (01:27:37):

Say that again for me.

Director Patel (01:27:38):

11,100. It's a 21% increase.

Senator Blackburn (01:27:41):

That's right. And I think under the Biden administration, we had north of 300,000 children that could not be found. I want to talk a little bit more about that. The chairman talked about the Report Act that was signed into law earlier, and we also have the Safe Cloud Storage Act that is following with that. And this deals with the work we have with NCMEC that we are doing. And the chairman talked about this, and I think it is so important that we be able to safely store and transfer and process this CSAM so that we're able to investigate these heinous crimes. So a couple of things here. I want you to talk for a moment about the new processes your team has put in place and touch on how you're using AI to drill down and help find these predators, perverts, groomers, and get them locked up.

Director Patel (01:28:51):

So it's an all-encompassing effort. I've always said that the cyberspace is the space the adversary uses the most to commit its most violent crimes against America, and the adversary has no rules and no laws. In order for us to catch up to the adversary, the criminals, the terrorists, the gang bangers, we have to work with our private sector partners. We, for the first time at the FBI, have professionally partnered and officially partnered with more private sector individual companies and social media and AI, a 600% increase in AI alone invested into the bureau on the admin side of the house, on the operational side of the house, to decrease the workload for our employees to sit there and work out the minutia of paperwork rather than being in the field, which is what we are doing, driving operations in the field through intelligence.

(01:29:38)
And in order to do and deliver that intelligence, we can't have it sitting in a data rack. We have to have it triaged. So we brought in AI. We, the US government, cannot build that AI infrastructure. Our partners have already built it. So under the law, we are making sure civil liberties are protected and utilizing the fact that this great information has been collected and sitting on the shelf. And what we did was we put it in the field, we put intel analysts in the field, and we said it to our SACs or 56 SACs across the country, "You're in charge. You know your AORs better than anyone else, which is why you've seen the largest reduction in violent crime in American history."

Senator Blackburn (01:30:11):

And utilization of AI is part of the modernization process for your FBI systems, correct?

Director Patel (01:30:18):

Yes, to the tune of a 605% increase since I hit the seat.

Senator Blackburn (01:30:22):

That is wonderful. Jack Smith is going to come before us later this month, and we've heard so much about weaponization of the FBI. And of course, Americans saw this with Arctic Frost and Crossfire Hurricane, and they saw it with conservatives that were targeted throughout the country, whether it had to do with schools and children or our pro-life issues. So walk me through what you have done, what steps you have taken to remove weaponization from the bureau.

Director Patel (01:31:04):

So having been targeted myself by a weaponization of law enforcement, we went after it internally because the FBI needs to be accountable to the American citizens and not just execute and enforce the law. So we looked at every individual that was involved with things like the Catholic memo or the intentional malfeasance surrounding intelligence collection and intelligence production and made sure that those individuals no longer work at the FBI. It's that simple. If you participated in that sort of conduct, we removed you and we'll continue to do that. And in terms of criminal investigations that sprout from that, I can only comment on what's been made public, but there are a number of ongoing investigations regarding this illegal conduct.

Senator Blackburn (01:31:50):

Birthright tourism. We know that there are about 33,000 births that we know of that are taking place utilizing birthright tourism. And I've got legislation. I'm working to try to give President Trump more tools to fight this with the Ban Birthright Tourism Act. It would amend Immigration and Nationality Act and make it clear that any alien engaging in birthright tourism is inadmissible to the country. And if they're here, they are deportable. And I know that you have worked with DOJ on some issues around this. I think it is a heinous practice. It's got to come to an end, and I would like for you to touch on what you're doing to make certain that we end birthright tourism.

Director Patel (01:32:52):

We are following the federal statutes that we have on the books right now, and we're working with our partners in Congress to draft new legislation, to give us new authorities to make sure that we can combat the threat because we want the United States of America to be open for legal immigration and not for illegal immigration. And we're going to continue to work to that end and work with our partners in Congress. We've asked them for more resources and legislation, and we need some bolstering in that capacity.

Senator Blackburn (01:33:17):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Grassley (01:33:20):

Thank you. Senator Klobuchar.

Senator Klobuchar (01:33:20):

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Director Patel, you and I were together at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Candlelight Vigil in May, along with law enforcement leaders and families of fallen officers to honor the lives and sacrifices of over 360 officers who died in the line of duty, including three from my state. Our first responders put their lives on the line every day to keep their community safe. Earlier this month, we saw the courage of the brave men and women of law enforcement firsthand. Police were on the scene within two minutes of receiving a 911 call about shots fired in an apartment building and helped get people to hospitals and others to safety, all while the officers being shot at themselves. Two Minnesotans were tragically killed, but it would've been a lot more. I know the FBI was also on the scene, and I want to thank the Minnesota FBI for their assistance, as well as the assistance and cooperation that they gave us, both statewide and federally with the horrific mass shooting at Annunciation Church of 20 some people, as well as the murder of Melissa and Mark Hortman.

(01:34:34)
As you know, this was all in the last year. And I also hope that we will see that kind of cooperation in the ongoing investigations of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. I want to acknowledge the work of the FBI agents and federal prosecutors in making sure that people who steal taxpayer money in Minnesota are held accountable. I strongly support, we've talked about this, the prosecution of fraud cases by the US Attorney's office in Minnesota. As you know, I've been involved with this office for years and I fought to ensure that the office had the resources to investigate the fraud and prosecute criminals to the fullest extent of the law. I discussed the importance of these investigations and prosecutions with Attorneys General Bondi and Blanche, as well as Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Division, McDonald, both in private as well as at public hearings. And I hope I have your commitment to continue-

Mr. Grassley (01:35:34):

You do.

Senator Klobuchar (01:35:34):

... providing resources for these investigations. Could you talk about your commitment to continuing providing resources for the fraud investigations and give us some update? We know in Minnesota that we've had over 98 people and 60 convictions indicted, convicted with more to come. Could you talk about the status, not just in Minnesota...

Senator Klobuchar (01:36:00):

... With more to come, could you talk about the status, not just in Minnesota, but across the country?

Director Patel (01:36:05):

Yes, Senator, and thanks for bearing through the rain two years running at the Law Enforcement Memorial.

(01:36:11)
So there's two types of fraud that I want to talk about real quick. In Minnesota specifically, it's related to the Feeding Our Futures program, which racked up a fraud about a half a billion dollars in value, which was money that was sent from basically the federal government through the state governments, through entities that were dispersed illegally in Minnesota. And as you said, we've indicted and charged about a hundred people, and I think majority of them have been convicted.

(01:36:35)
The rest of that investigation is ongoing, and we're going to continue to root out that fraud in Minnesota. And that fraud is led by the president's anti-fraud task force. And we were just in Kansas City yesterday with the vice president doing another version of that and highlighting the fact that the FBI had arrested six of the most wanted fraudsters in the world in the last three months, totaling over two billion in fraud. They were on four separate continents. We found them all and we returned them here to justice. And we are now in the process of returning that money.

(01:37:04)
The second part of that real quick, Senator, is the scam center fraud. So the FBI has launched and I hosted the first ever scam center symposium in Southeast Asia in the cross-border regions of Thailand, Burma and Cambodia, which no one really ever thinks about, is the epicenter of the fraud that tens of thousands of Americans are facing.

(01:37:23)
And in the last 18 months, the FBI has read four joint operations overseas in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia where we've seen $ 17 billion in fraud, crypto and cash. And we've also, that's our operation blackout. That is the premier law enforcement program leading the annihilation of scam centers. We go in there, we free the trafficked workers, we collect evidence, and then we work with our partners to literally bulldoze those scam centers so they can never be up again. And we suffocate their communications capability with the private sector by eliminating their access to the internet.

(01:37:54)
And the last thing is through Operation Level Up, we're on the proactive side of fraud. So we have reached out to our communities and our partners and said, "If you see something, if you are a target, let us know early."

(01:38:05)
We've prevented $1 billion in fraud from Americans before they were victimized by these scam centers. We're going to continue that work.

Senator Klobuchar (01:38:13):

Thanks. Just quick, I've long supported efforts led by Senator Grassley to strengthen the False Claims Act, support the Justice Department's efforts to address whistleblower allegations. Quick answer, what role should whistleblowers, including qui tam cases, play in rooting up fraud in government programs?

Director Patel (01:38:31):

They're essential.

Senator Klobuchar (01:38:33):

Okay. Thank you. Turning to the matter I referenced before, the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, you know that Renee Good's final words to the officers were, "I'm not mad at you." And Alex Pretti, a VA intensive care nurse who did one of the most selfless jobs that anyone could think of, his last words were to a woman who had been shoved to the ground were, "Are you okay?" Alex Pretti's parents have spoken out about wanting to get meaningful information about the status of the investigation. And I know the FBI takes pride in how it treats victims. Will you ensure that the Bureau provides meaningful information to the families in these cases?

Director Patel (01:39:19):

Yes.

Senator Klobuchar (01:39:20):

Okay. And we have concerns about the Bureau's actions after, of course, both killings, but after Renee Good was killed, according to reports, the FBI failed to process the car for evidence. Do you agree that it is important for the Bureau to conduct timely, thorough investigations of officer involved shootings?

Director Patel (01:39:44):

When we are the lead agency, yes.

Senator Klobuchar (01:39:47):

All right. And so with that answer, it makes me sort of step back a little. So is the lead agency then in your mind is going to be the state and the locals for the Renee Good and Alex Pretti shootings? Because again, we're going to have to have cooperation as we have in all of the instances I mentioned about annunciation, Melissa and Mark Hortman's killing and others.

Director Patel (01:40:12):

We will fully support all those investigations. It doesn't matter if it's a state investigation, federal investigation, bureau investigation, DHS investigation, we're fully committed to support all of them.

Senator Klobuchar (01:40:20):

Okay. I have great concerns regarding the president's use of the Justice Department when it comes to our democracy. Do you believe it is proper for the president to use the FBI to influence any election or give an advantage to one party over another?

Director Patel (01:40:40):

I don't believe any president should be doing that and this president has not done that for the FBI.

Senator Klobuchar (01:40:44):

Okay. And since the Civil War, the Justice Department manual, and I will say makes it very clear that that is the case, but we are concerned because of some of the statements the president has made and some of the actions that have been taken across the country.

(01:41:02)
Since the Civil War, federal law has made clear that the president does not have the authority to deploy armed federal officials to election site. Are you aware of the Justice Department's longstanding guidance that states that FBI agents cannot conduct investigations inside polling places on election day and that federal prosecutors have no authority to send FBI special agents or deploy US marshals to polling places?

Director Patel (01:41:29):

I'm aware.

Senator Klobuchar (01:41:30):

And so will you commit to following clear federal law and DOJ policy and not deploy federal agents to polling places?

Director Patel (01:41:37):

We will always follow the law and the guidelines.

Senator Klobuchar (01:41:40):

Okay. During your time as FBI director, the bureau has investigated members of the media for activities related to news-gathering such as reporting on government whistleblowers. According to reports in July, you personally oversaw an investigation in which subpoenas were issued to New York Times journalists who reported about security deficiencies in the Qatari donated Air Force One and armed officers were even sent to reporters' homes.

(01:42:09)
These subpoenas were withdrawn because a federal judge found the Justice Department failed to follow its own rules about subpoenaing journalists. Is that correct?

Director Patel (01:42:19):

I think that's an accurate summary, but just real quick, we are not targeting the journalists. We are looking to find out who leaks sensitive and classified information as a government employee.

Senator Klobuchar (01:42:29):

Okay. And I will note that the judge said in his ruling, he said, "Subpoenas to reporters are not the first thing you do. They are the last thing you do."

(01:42:41)
And so do you believe that subpoenaing reporters just 24 hours after the story was published, is that the last resort?

Director Patel (01:42:49):

Well, there was a lot of work that went into that case, and it's still ongoing. And so I'm not going to comment on it, but we worked through all the hurdles that the guidelines require.

Senator Klobuchar (01:42:58):

Okay. We'll follow up on that.

(01:43:01)
Last, in July, more than 30 municipal water systems in Minnesota were targeted in a coordinated cyber attack. It has been publicly reported that this was likely the work of Iranian hackers as opposed to Minnesotans, which the president at one point stated.

(01:43:19)
This isn't the first time that a cyber attack has targeted municipal systems in Minnesota. Last summer we had a cyber attack on the city of St. Paul. Can you update us on the FBI's response to the recent cyber attack on at least a dozen states' water systems, including Minnesota, South Dakota, Michigan and Arkansas?

Director Patel (01:43:38):

Yeah, this is one of the most critical things that the FBI is doing in terms of our cyber operations. So when the adversary attacks our critical infrastructure, the FBI has asked and engaged with our partners to be in early and often, just like we did with the five major banks last year. We got in on Friday, we exfiltrated all the bad actors by Sunday.

(01:43:58)
On the water system attack that you're talking about, the problem is the deficiency in the private sector. Remember, 85% of the critical infrastructure in this country is owned by the private sector, that they were using edge routers and PLC devices that were 25 years old. And we've asked those companies to harden those devices because it's so easy for just one person on one keyboard in a faraway land, it doesn't even have to be a united effort, to come in and break through to that system.

(01:44:25)
So we're working with that specific company on the Minnesota and the other states that you identified. But we're also working through our operation Riptide, our cyber offensive operations. We've led 600 private sector engagements with critical infrastructure companies across the country to allow us to come in early and often with our cyber action teams because we can eliminate the threat and we can also tie back the intelligence to broader operators and take down the global threat.

Senator Klobuchar (01:44:52):

Thanks.

Mr. Grassley (01:44:52):

Senator Schmitt.

Senator Schmitt (01:44:52):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you, Director Patel, from the outset for your redirection and change of focus of the bureau from the overt and historical weaponization we saw under the prior administration to a real focus on law and order and putting the bad guys in jail. And a couple of questions I want to ask you about that relate to that specifically.

(01:45:16)
Yesterday, you and I were both in my home state of Missouri and Kansas City announcing a new effort on the efforts to crack down on fraud, a lot of the COVID era programs. The money was rushed out the door with deadlines to spend it and what could go wrong? There's a lot of fraudsters that took advantage of the American people. And as we said yesterday, these are not victimless crimes. I mean, you have people who are working their tail off every day who've had their paychecks robbed so these fraudsters could take money from these programs.

(01:45:49)
And then people who need it most, people with disabilities, the elderly looking for a hospice center. They're being taken advantage of here and making resources more scarce for their actual needs, what the programs were intended for. So I appreciate your efforts on that.

(01:46:03)
I want to ask you, and by the way, before I forget, because I may run out of time, I want to thank you again for your focus. When you and I first talked about your confirmation, we talked about St. Louis and you've kept your word. There's the largest infusion of permanent FBI agents per capita in the country. The results speak for themselves. I know those efforts continue, so I want to thank you for your commitment and honoring your word on that.

(01:46:26)
In June, I think this is fascinating, you launched the FBI's first ever most wanted fraudsters list. I want to talk about that for just a little bit because I think that for whatever reason, this just wasn't a big focus before and now that it is, and I think the results are pretty compelling.

(01:46:47)
I want to start with Khalid Satary. Satary is a foreign national born in Gaza. He is charged in a scheme that allegedly billed Medicare more than $574 million for medically unnecessary cancer genetic testing. Prosecutors say his operation used telemarketers, patient recruiters, and illegal kickbacks to generate tests that reimburse between 10,000 and 20,000 each.

(01:47:13)
He was released on bond. He fled the country. When authorities finally caught him overseas, he was carrying a fake Mexican passport under a fake name. Where is Khalid now?

Director Patel (01:47:24):

He's in custody.

Senator Schmitt (01:47:25):

Okay, that's great. Said Abdullahi Ereg, born in Somalia. He operated a grocery and deli in Minnesota. He allegedly took more than $4.2 million from a federal program meant to feed children. His grocery store claimed to have served more than 1.4 million meals in about a year. The FBI says he allegedly used much of that money to fund his family's lavish lifestyle and transferred money to foreign accounts. He has been wanted since 2024. You put him on the most wanted fraudster list. He surrendered to law enforcement six days later. Is that correct?

Director Patel (01:48:01):

Yes, sir.

Senator Schmitt (01:48:02):

Okay. Where is he now?

Director Patel (01:48:03):

In prison.

Senator Schmitt (01:48:04):

Okay, that's great. Elaine Escoe, the FBI lists her nationality as Jamaican. She and her alleged co-conspirator submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications for COVID relief programs and allegedly obtained more than $32 million. Fake tax documents, fabricated bank accounts in some cases. They allegedly demanded as much as half of the taxpayer money as their cut. She failed to appear in federal court and fled to Jamaica. Where is she now?

Director Patel (01:48:33):

In prison.

Senator Schmitt (01:48:36):

Manjit Singh Bedi, born in India, a naturalized US citizen. He operated a grocery store that participated in SNAP, a very important program. The allegation is pretty simple. Instead of selling people food, he swiped their benefit cards, handed them cash, and then half the taxpayer money for himself.

(01:48:57)
He gets indicted. The judge ordered him to surrender his passport and remain in Washington state. Instead, he drives across the border into Canada and makes his way to India. The FBI put him on the most wanted fraudster list. Where is he now?

Director Patel (01:49:08):

In custody.

Senator Schmitt (01:49:10):

And then there's Herb Kimble, born in Chicago, a city known for organized crime historically of course, and the Cubs. I don't know which one is worse, Senator Durbin.

(01:49:22)
But he pled guilty to his role in healthcare fraud conspiracy involving 1.2 billion in Medicare charges. He then failed to show up for sentencing and fled to the Philippines. You put him on the most wanted fraudster list when it launched on June 4th. He was captured four days later. Is that correct?

Director Patel (01:49:40):

Yes. And he's in prison.

Senator Schmitt (01:49:41):

He's in the United States?

Director Patel (01:49:42):

Yep.

Senator Schmitt (01:49:43):

So I just want to take stock of that. This isn't like rocket science. It takes resources and it takes leadership, right? You have to have a goal here, and if the goal is to go after people who have ripped off the American people, you can accomplish that. Can you just kind of walk me through the resources you have committed to this and what's next?

Director Patel (01:50:07):

So when we set out to target the worst of the worst, the FBI has always historically had its FBI's most wanted top 10 list. And the reason we've all been able to capture all 10 of the FBI's most wanted top 10 in just 18 months is the following. It's what you alluded to. Our best partner is the American public. Our law enforcement teams are the best in the world, but sometimes the American public has information that we don't have access to.

(01:50:32)
And that success on the top 10, when I was having a discussion with the vice president, he said, "Can't we replicate that on the fraudsters that are fleecing American seniors and our kids of money that they need?" So we launched, pursuant to the vice president's idea, the most wanted fraudsters list with the same motive behind it. We need information on where these individuals are hiding out and we need information to piece together some of their cases.

(01:50:56)
So since June, this is no small task, we have captured and arrested and brought back to justice six of the most wanted fraudsters. I think there's 12 on that list right now, totaling $2 billion in fraud across Medicare, SNAP, COVID-19 relief funds, PPA and whatnot. They were on the run collectively for 5,000 days on four separate continents, and each one of them has been arrested and one's in the pipeline to come back, we'll get them back shortly, but all are in custody and five of the six are here in the United States.

(01:51:27)
And we got information when we publicized their fraud. When we publicized it to the American people, some of these victims came forward and said, "I think I know where this individual may be or have his last known location." And we were able to use that evidence and arrest these individuals.

Senator Schmitt (01:51:41):

Well, as the chair of the Senate's Anti-Fraud Task Force, we want to continue to work with you. If there's any additional tools that are needed, I think stiffer penalties should be codified. And I know that the anti-fraud division that's being led and it's a priority for this administration. Regardless of who is president 20 years from now, 10 years from now, I think that's just an important thing and hopefully something that we can all agree on regardless of our political stripe.

(01:52:07)
I want to, in the time remaining, just talk about a couple other things because fraud doesn't just happen in Medicare. It doesn't just happen in SNAP. It can happen in elections, nonprofits, immigration, government programs, even our political system. Let me run through a couple areas. First, political fundraising. President Trump directed the attorney general to investigate possible legal straw donor and foreign contributions through online fundraising platforms. That order specifically cited concerns involving ActBlue, including suspicious donations from foreign IP addresses using prepaid cards. Does the FBI have jurisdiction to investigate illegal straw donations and foreign money entering American elections?

Director Patel (01:52:49):

We do, and we have a lot ongoing.

Senator Schmitt (01:52:52):

Okay. I know you probably can't talk about those specific cases, but there are ongoing investigations. Is that true?

Director Patel (01:52:57):

Yes, sir.

Senator Schmitt (01:52:58):

Okay. And if there is evidence, and again, I don't want you to talk about anything specific, showing foreign money or straw donations entering American elections, can you commit that you will follow that evidence no matter where it leads?

Director Patel (01:53:23):

We will, sir.

Senator Schmitt (01:53:24):

Okay. I want to talk with the minute and a half I have left about the Southern Poverty Law Center. A federal grand jury has charged the SPLC with wire fraud, false statements, and money laundering offenses. The government alleges that millions of dollars in donated funds were secretly routed through fictitious entities to individuals associated with extremist organization. The FBI investigated that case, correct?

Director Patel (01:53:47):

Yes, sir.

Senator Schmitt (01:53:48):

Okay. And this is not simply a dispute over politics or ideology. This allegation is that donors were told one thing about where their money was going while the money was allegedly being used for something else. That is a fraud question, correct?

Director Patel (01:54:02):

Yes, sir.

Senator Schmitt (01:54:03):

Okay. And if the evidence establishes that individual officers or employees knowingly participated in a fraud scheme, can those individuals be held personally accountable?

Director Patel (01:54:12):

Yes, they can.

Senator Schmitt (01:54:13):

Okay. Is that investigation continuing?

Director Patel (01:54:15):

It's very much ongoing. There's been multiple indictments alleging, as the indictments say, that the SPLC utilized sources that they had hired to go into the very networks that they supposedly were standing up against and then funneled in fraudulent donations to enrich their activities.

Senator Schmitt (01:54:34):

Okay. Listen, I want to thank you again for your commitment to taking on violent crime. It's paying dividends in a great American city where I'm from, St. Louis, so I look forward to continuing to work with you on those things. Thanks.

Mr. Grassley (01:54:46):

Yeah. About 20 minutes ago, one of my Democratic colleagues brought up about these treasury suspicious activity reports about Epstein, and I've been using suspicious activity reports for a long time. When Senator Johnson and I made public treasury such reports, information on the Biden family, we were publicly criticized by the Democrats, so I'd like to say my colleagues can't have it both ways and maintain their credibility. Senator Blumenthal.

Senator Blumenthal (01:55:31):

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for being here today, Director Patel. We learned yesterday to the astonishment and shock of many Americans that a Russian oligarch bankrolled the wedding of the president's son with perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars.

(01:55:55)
I would like to know from you whether you have begun an investigation of potential intelligence compromises. This individual, Umar Kremlev, has direct ties to Vladimir Putin. It would seem an effort to curry favor with the president's family. It may involve some intelligence degradation, and I would like to know what steps you are taking to investigate.

Director Patel (01:56:26):

I'm not sure what public reporting you're referring to. The only thing I can tell you is that the counter espionage arrests by this FBI are up 53%, including from Russia. We've arrested more espionage actors in these last 18 months than any 18-month period in the FBI history and will continue to investigate and utilize the resources.

Senator Blumenthal (01:56:42):

Well, these reports were public yesterday. They've been widely publicized in the press, and it would seem to me that they should be a topic of investigation for the FBI. You have a counterintelligence mission. This individual has been involved, in fact, in the reeducation of Ukrainian children. In my trips to Ukraine, I've done it 11 times, I've talked to many of those children who've been abducted by Putin's forces.

(01:57:11)
This individual apparently is involved in those activities, but also is directly tied to Putin. And I think there's a potential for compromise in intelligence and also the possibility of improper influence.

Director Patel (01:57:29):

As I stated, we are fulfilling our counterintelligence and espionage mission greater than any FBI has ever done so.

Senator Blumenthal (01:57:36):

Well, I want to know what specific steps you're doing to investigate this instance.

Director Patel (01:57:40):

First of all, you're referring to something that happened yesterday in public reporting, and public reporting generally isn't accurate. And so what the men and women of the FBI will do, as we do in every case, is we will look at whatever information comes our way and analyze it.

Senator Blumenthal (01:57:54):

The involvement of this individual in bankrolling the wedding in substantial amounts of money has apparently been confirmed by the family. You're unaware of those reports?

Director Patel (01:58:06):

I don't track public reporting from yesterday for preparation in this hearing. As I've said, what we are going to continue to do is what we've done in the counterintelligence and espionage division, which is arrest more spies than any FBI in the history from Russia, China, Iran, and DPRK.

Senator Blumenthal (01:58:22):

Well, I'm going to ask you to report back to this committee what steps you are taking to investigate. Clearly, it's appropriate that you do so. I'm hoping that your staff or you will review immediately these public reports that have been available.

(01:58:38)
Let me ask you also about counterintelligence. Just days before the United States launched its military operation in Iran, you fired a dozen agents and staff members from a counterintelligence unit called CI-12, which was specifically tasked with monitoring threats with Iran.

(01:59:01)
I am astonished that this kind of action was taken. I'd like to know whether the dozen employees in CI-12 have been rehired.

Director Patel (01:59:17):

Individuals that have been removed were removed for reasons that they basically failed to meet the standards of the FBI. When it comes to Iran, we've arrested 55% more spies from Iran than any FBI in the history of the United States of America. We've seen a hundred percent increase when it involves specific threats to the homeland based out of Iran.

Senator Blumenthal (01:59:35):

Let me interrupt you-

Director Patel (01:59:35):

And the individuals you're referring to are not experts-

Senator Blumenthal (01:59:38):

... because my time is limited, director.

Director Patel (01:59:39):

You can define them as experts, but they definitely are not.

Senator Blumenthal (01:59:41):

The reports were that they were fired because they worked on the classified documents investigation involving President Trump. Do you think firing the President's political opponents is more important than retaining the decades of experience and expertise monitoring intelligent threats from Iran?

Director Patel (02:00:03):

I think what's most important is not have a weaponized FBI, and I will endeavor every single day to make sure we have no one there that is doing that.

Senator Blumenthal (02:00:09):

Well, in fact, the firing of these employees not only politicized, but weaponized the FBI against its own employees who had involvement in an investigation. They were assigned to it. They had no choice. What was the reason for firing them?

Director Patel (02:00:26):

Those individuals were terminated for weaponizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Senator Blumenthal (02:00:31):

The promise you made to this committee was that no retribution would be taken against any FBI agents for participating in investigation. How can you make those two statements consistent?

Director Patel (02:00:46):

Simple. If you weaponize law enforcement, you don't get to work at the FBI.

Senator Blumenthal (02:00:51):

Let me come back to the elections issue. I'd like a commitment from you that under no circumstances will FBI agents be deployed to the polls on or around election day.

Director Patel (02:01:08):

The FBI has an election counselor coordinator in every single field office where we quarterback these election activities from. We'll continue to do that.

Senator Blumenthal (02:01:18):

But can you commit to this committee that you will not send FBI agents to the polls on election day?

Director Patel (02:01:26):

The FBI will follow the law. If there's a reason to go there because there's been a violation of law, we will. Otherwise, we won't.

Senator Blumenthal (02:01:31):

Would you agree with me that the FBI has no general authority to monitor elections?

Director Patel (02:01:37):

That priority rests with DHS.

Senator Blumenthal (02:01:41):

So you would agree with me that deploying FBI agents to the polls on election day would be contrary to law?

Director Patel (02:01:49):

I don't know that we can't legally do it. I'm telling you we're going to house our agents and intel analysts in our field offices for election security efforts.

Senator Blumenthal (02:01:55):

Well, I'm dissatisfied that you are unable to give us an unequivocal, clear, unambiguous commitment that the FBI will be kept out of election interference.

(02:02:08)
You are involved in seven voter-related subpoenas issued to the Nevada Secretary of State's office. You were involved in seizure of election records from Fulton County, Georgia. Clearly, the FBI has been involved in possible election interference. That's why you are committing to avoid that kind of interference going forward is so important today.

(02:02:35)
Do you have plans to implement the executive order issued by the president, which directed the attorney general to prioritize investigations and prosecutions of state and local officials who, and I'm quoting, "Issue, print, produce, ship, or distribute ballots to individuals the administration deems ineligible to vote."

(02:02:59)
Have you begun any investigations pursuant to that executive order?

Director Patel (02:03:03):

I'm unaware of any investigations, but we'll follow every executive order because that's what the constitution and law require.

Senator Blumenthal (02:03:08):

So you've begun no investigations?

Director Patel (02:03:10):

I'm not aware of any.

Senator Blumenthal (02:03:13):

Director Patel, on this 25th anniversary of 9/11, there are still 10,000 9/11 victims and families who are seeking justice against the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They were permitted to do so by an act of Congress. I helped to lead the effort on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act in 2016. A federal district judge has just ruled that they can have a day in court, that there is jurisdiction, and they are going to seek justice with support of members of Congress like myself who are asking the FBI now to divulge all of the files and evidence that it still has concealed.

(02:04:08)
Will you commit that you will do full disclosure to the 9/11 families as they pursue justice and their day in court?

Director Patel (02:04:18):

To my knowledge, we've produced everything, but if we haven't, I'll take a look.

Senator Blumenthal (02:04:21):

Well, you'll commit that you'll get back to this committee and do a full review?

Director Patel (02:04:26):

Yes, sir.

Senator Blumenthal (02:04:26):

And you'll release whatever is appropriate.

Director Patel (02:04:31):

Yes.

Senator Blumenthal (02:04:31):

Now, I'm hoping that you will do better than General Barr did because he invoked the State Secrets Privilege Act. You have no intention to do so, do you?

Director Patel (02:04:47):

Well, that's not a decision I make. That's a decision for the Attorney General.

Senator Blumenthal (02:04:51):

Well, for your part, you will not invoke it.

Director Patel (02:04:55):

I'm not allowed to invoke it.

Senator Blumenthal (02:04:57):

Let me just finish by asking you, how many agents right now are assigned to continue the investigation of the Epstein predation?

Director Patel (02:05:11):

The production, did you say? Sorry, I didn't hear your last word.

Senator Blumenthal (02:05:16):

How many agents continue to be assigned to Epstein related investigative work?

Director Patel (02:05:22):

We have a number of agents, I don't have the total number of agents, that are always looking at information that sprouts from a previous case or previous matter when credible intelligence is reported in. We have one of the most aggressive child trafficking and human trafficking squads to protect against children.

Senator Blumenthal (02:05:37):

Will you commit that you'll review all of the investigative reports, as you know they're known as FD-302s, all interview notes, leads, tips, records, and other investigative materials generated in connection with this investigation and make sure that you comply with all of the legal obligations you have to disclose them?

Director Patel (02:06:01):

We've done that and continue.

Senator Blumenthal (02:06:03):

My time is expired. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Grassley (02:06:06):

Before Senator Britt, I've heard a lot about the weaponization of it, and there's a vacuum here that I want to fill. So I'm going to introduce into the record the documents I discussed during my opening, which show how select FBI agents weaponized the agency against President Trump, his associates, and those in his orbit. Senator Britt.

Senator Britt (02:06:34):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Director Patel, for being in front of the committee today. The last time I had an opportunity to question you was in front of the CJS Appropriation Subcommittee. It was there, I thank you for the work that you were doing in the state of Alabama. Specifically in Montgomery, the Operation Southern Star was so successful. I think within two weeks you made 63 arrests, 52 guns, 40 drug seizures. There was real accountability.

(02:07:04)
Since then, I've continued to be impressed. Your partnership with the city of Tuscaloosa and the work there also proved to have excellent results. I think it was about a month ago, you did a month long operation, had 90 arrests, including 48 felony arrests. There were 10 firearm seized, and in that there were two high profile arrests, one of which was somebody that had committed sexual abuse against a child younger than 12 and also a wanted robbery suspect. So thank you for the work that you're doing there.

(02:07:40)
You've also provided Tuscaloosa, their violent crimes unit, with assistance on the recent shooting. So I appreciate your quick action and the work that your men and women are doing.

(02:07:51)
I'd like for you to talk a little bit about your commitment to state and local partnerships, anything that we need to know as a committee and where you see that continuing to go, because to me it translates-

Senator Britt (02:08:00):

... and where you see that continuing to go, because to me it translates directly into making communities safer. And I want to see more of that in the state of Alabama and would love to hear your plans for that.

Director Patel (02:08:11):

Thank you, Senator. So state and local partnerships, as I said after the nomination during confirmation and everyday since, are critical to how the FBI conducts law enforcement operations around the country. What we do best are joint task forces. Whether it's a JTTF, whether it's Safe Trails, whether it's Steadfast Promise, whether it's Not Forgotten, whatever you want to call it. Our best work is by bringing state and locals to our facilities, embedding them in there permanently so we have direct lines of communication and also run offensive operations together.

(02:08:39)
Before I got to the FBI, there was a 14-month waiting period for a task force officer to onboard at the FBI because of bureaucratic administrative hurdles and just sheer waste of time. We eliminated that backlog. Last year we cleared all 750 task force officers around the country and this year we've added 2,750 task force officers because now the administrative bureaucracy has been eliminated and it requires you only 30 to 45 days to onboard as a task force officer.

(02:09:08)
And also we don't farm out our cross deputizations, meaning once you complete the application process to become a task force officer, you have to be deputized. And we used to allow another agency to do that for whatever reason. Now our SACs in the field do those deputizations themselves for state, local, territorial, and tribal partners. Increasing that capacity is the reason you are seeing the most prolific reduction in violent crime in US history, not to mention the fact that we stopped 1100 terrorist attacks.

Senator Britt (02:09:34):

And I would say, when you're looking at that, you talked about shortening the timeframe, you've been able to keep the standards high and the quality of the people that are engaging in these task force where it needs to be obviously to achieve these tremendous results. So you have no hesitation with regards to that.

Director Patel (02:09:50):

The SACs in the field know these officers and sheriffs and constables and state troopers better than Washington DC ever will. And so they know how to screen and who's going to make a good candidate. And these folks usually have 10 to 20 years of law enforcement under their belt before they become a TFO. And so that's why we put the emphasis in the field, not Washington.

Senator Britt (02:10:08):

That's right.

Director Patel (02:10:08):

Move the bureaucracy, move the personnel, relieviate the administrative burden and allow Alabama and everywhere else to have more task force officers serving with the FBI than ever before.

Senator Britt (02:10:17):

Well, thank you for embracing those partnerships. You mentioned the terrorist attacks that you've been able to thwart. Let's talk a little bit about the year that you've had. I know you've worked closely with Secretary Mullin amongst others to make sure that we are safe when it came to the World Cup, when it came to a number of things that we saw across our country in the last year.

(02:10:36)
So number one, congratulations on the tremendous success and for keeping Americans and all of those that I heard you in your opening statement say the many people that traveled here to be a part of it, thank you for keeping all of them safe and making that such an incredible success. I want you to talk about some of the lessons that you learned and anything this committee may need to be thinking about as we look forward to the Olympics in 2028, as we look forward to... Look the football games that we see every weekend.

(02:11:04)
I know Senator Kennedy and I enjoy watching some football on Saturdays, whether it's LSU or Alabama or others. How do we make sure that we take lessons learned and that we're giving you the tools that you need and the structure that you need to continue that success that we saw with the World Cup?

Director Patel (02:11:21):

Yeah. So the World Cup saw 78 Super Bowls in 38 days at 11 venues, not to mention four dozen fan zones and other areas affiliated with base camps for teams. We had about seven million people come for those World Cup games over the course of 38 days. What we were able to do was establish a system of localized law enforcement, partner with the federal government to train them on the Counter-UAS programs that I'd already talked about, which take place at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

(02:11:50)
The first of its kind. Why it wasn't done before, I don't know. But we saw a threat based on Counter-UAS systems that could easily target innocent Americans at sporting events, state fairs, college football games, World Cup, what have you. So we found a way to alleviate that threat by training state and locals and by deploying assets into the field instead of keeping them in Washington DC.

(02:12:10)
The lessons we learned from the Olympics to the two F1 races, to the Club World Cup from last summer and the Super Bowl this year and this World Cup and six America 250 events without a single major security incident was that having people on the ground connected in the field, what was most important to me, not having them sit in Washington DC.

(02:12:29)
And so we pushed out more agents and intel operators to the field and we're going to continue to do that. For us, there's a twofold issue. We need more resources to get more personnel to the field, but we also need more resources to get the right kit. We need more Counter-UAS systems in the field, not housed into the DC National Capital Region. We need every state and local authority to have their own resources. We can train them up on them.

(02:12:52)
We can procure them for them if we had the resources to do so. We want to triple the size of our counter drone school down at Redstone Arsenal. And we also need the appropriate level of funding for LA28 when we've put that forward to Congress already. It's going to take place in multiple locations in Southern California. We are going to need an immense amount of armored vehicles, BearCats, kit for SWAT operators and hostage rescue teams, and the appropriate level of training that goes into that. We've started that since day one since we got here. We learned from all these events I've just listed, but the funding is going to be critical to making sure that America puts on a wonderful LA28 and has the success we've had across the enterprise with all of these events.

Senator Britt (02:13:35):

Thank you, Mr. Director. And in my final few minutes, I want to talk about the cybersecurity threats that are facing our nation. So many of our different businesses, our critical infrastructure, we've seen cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence systems continue to advance at a rapid pace. And when we're looking at this, how do we make sure, I'd say in particular, the critical infrastructure in more rural areas of Alabama seems that those are becoming easier targets given the advances that are making harder to combat.

(02:14:09)
Just last week, the Bureau released a new cyber strategy designed to protect Americans from these kinds of threats. Can you speak to the ways that you see this new cyber strategy and the bureau more broadly being able to handle these things and what you're going to need from us in being able to do so?

Director Patel (02:14:28):

So thanks to the President. He released his cyber strategy out of the White House and we're proud to announce that the FBI is the first 1811 agency to issue its own cyber strategy pursuant to that. And what do we do? We issued for the first time an offensive and defensive approach, which we encapsulated in Operation Winter SHIELD and Operation Riptide.

(02:14:48)
On the defensive side of the House, Senator, what we need to do and what we did is have 600 engagements with our private sector partners. 85% of critical infrastructure in this country, water, wastewater, electric, power, nuclear, is owned by the private sector. These private sector companies, as I was talking to Senator Klobuchar about, are working off of devices that are 20 and 30 years old, including our telecom infrastructure. And so we need them to upgrade.

(02:15:12)
We need them to put in the resources and money and we're on the ground with them and we're asking them to allow us to get in early every time there's a cyber intrusion, be it from a nation state actor or disparate lone keyboard warrior. On the offensive side of the house, we, the FBI, are the only ones leading the charge on what we call joint sequence operations. Joint sequence operations require us to go out and engage not just with their private sector as I talked about, but get on the platforms, get on the social media sites, the internet spaces, the dark web, and specifically allow us to run OFCO, offensive cyber operations.

(02:15:44)
And with that capacity, our cyber program has seen the largest success we've had in the last 18 months. Our ransomware convictions are up 800%. Our ransomware charges are up 35%. We've shut down 3000 criminal domains. And here's the most important part maybe. We've extradited 50 cyber criminals. That is a 32% increase. That's what we need to do to have a whole of government approach to dismantle those that are willing to use our cybersecurity infrastructure to threaten our way of life.

Senator Britt (02:16:17):

And Mr. Director, you mentioned in the plan that you put out how it is important to have hands-on training and being able to do this and be able to combat it in real-time and facilities like Redstone Arsenal's Kinetic Cyber Range there in Huntsville can properly help prepare your men and women to keep our country safe. So thank you for pointing that out.

Director Patel (02:16:39):

The Kinetic Cyber Range is maybe one of the best things that we have in the FBI. We literally built a town indoors in Huntsville, Alabama. An entire towns consists of housing, schools, car shops, streets, so we can practice and train against the modern cyber threat on all ecosystems and learn how to intrude and detect and evade and also learn how to find those infiltrators that are coming onto our platform. So I would encourage folks, and I've opened up that training capacity to state and law enforcement partners across the country to come down and train at our cyber range.

Senator Britt (02:17:13):

We're proud of the work that's done there and we're proud to help lead the way. Thank you.

Senator Whitehouse (02:17:15):

Before Senator Welch, I'm going to go vote and one of my Republican colleagues take control. Senator Welch. Senator Welch.

Peter Welch (02:17:26):

Okay. Thank you very much. Mr. Patel or Director Patel, excuse me. President Trump said the following just this past weekend while in Ireland where he was at a golf tournament, he said, "We had a rigged election. As you know, it was totally rigged because I won three times. I didn't win twice. I won three times." And of course the President is saying he won the 2020 election. Do you agree with that?

Director Patel (02:17:57):

There are many ongoing investigations surrounding that matter, so I'm not going to comment on it and stylize the evidence.

Peter Welch (02:18:03):

So if there's ongoing investigations, as I know there are, that indicates you do believe the President, 2020 was rigged.

Director Patel (02:18:11):

There are many ongoing investigations and for me as the FBI Director to comment on the evidence would basically be in contradiction of the constitution.

Peter Welch (02:18:19):

And furtherance of supporting the President's assertion that he won in 2020, the FBI conducted a raid at Georgia's Fulton County Election Office. The agents removed more than 650 boxes of ballots and election records from the 2020 election. And they did that despite the fact that there were two recounts, including one done by hand that showed President Trump lost Georgia by 11,779 votes. And no investigation has found any evidence of wrongdoing. And according to the public reporting, your FBI has brought in 260 intelligence officials to investigate the election results in Georgia in 2020. And that's on top of the agents from Atlanta already working on the investigation. Is that number accurate?

Director Patel (02:19:17):

As I've said, Senator, repeatedly, public reporting is often wrong. And on terms of the investigation you're referring to, we presented a federal judge or a state court judge with a presentation of evidence and he found a sufficiency of probable cause to execute that raid.

Peter Welch (02:19:33):

Has there been a single indictment from this deployment of so many hundreds of FBI agents to Georgia to investigate an election that had two recounts, one by hand, a single indictment?

Director Patel (02:19:48):

Once again, that matter is ongoing, so I'm not going to comment on it.

Peter Welch (02:19:50):

No, the question is not whether it's ongoing. The question is whether, as of this moment, has there been a single indictment?

Director Patel (02:19:58):

If I comment on that, that's commenting on an ongoing investigation and the FBI doesn't do that.

Peter Welch (02:20:03):

Mr. Patel, there's been no indictment. That'd be public information, right?

Director Patel (02:20:10):

Not if it was sealed.

Peter Welch (02:20:12):

All right. Now, in September last year, President Trump accidentally posted to Truth Social a direct message to Pam Bondi, then the Attorney General, regarding former FBI Director James Comey. It said, "Pam, I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that essentially, quote, same old story as last time. All talk, no action, nothing is being done. What about Comey?" In the post, the President called Mr. Comey guilty as hell. You agree with that?

Director Patel (02:20:51):

Many of those matters are ongoing as you know, so I'm not going to comment on it.

Peter Welch (02:20:55):

And you're doing an investigation, right?

Director Patel (02:20:58):

Many of those matters are ongoing and have been publicly reported.

Peter Welch (02:21:01):

So Trump previously fired Comey as FBI director in 2017 while the Bureau was overseeing an investigation into whether Russia meddled in the 2016 election. And in May, Mr. Comey was indicted for an image of seashells that had been laid out to say 8647, something he had posted 11 months earlier. And according to Todd Blanche, that is because you, as head of the FBI, were conducting an investigation the whole time. And Blanche said, "I must meet the press. This is about a body of evidence that we have collected over a series of about 11 months." Is Attorney General Blanche correct that the FBI investigated the case against Mr. Comey for 11 months?

Director Patel (02:21:51):

The multiple matters that are being publicly or privately investigated by the FBI are not going to be commented on by me.

Peter Welch (02:21:58):

I'm talking about the Blanche assertion that the FBI was investigating Comey for 11 months.

Director Patel (02:22:03):

The Attorney General is correct in stating that there has been lengthy investigations into anyone that happened as law enforcement.

Peter Welch (02:22:09):

How many agents were assigned to that case?

Director Patel (02:22:12):

I don't know off the top of my head.

Peter Welch (02:22:14):

Well, another target of President Trump's criticism about investigations into the 2016 election is, of course, former CIA Director John Brennan. In July of last year, President Trump said the following about Mr. Brennan. "They're very dishonest people. I think they're crooked as hell, and maybe they have to pay a price for that." And yesterday, the lawyer for Mr. Brennan said in a court filing that his client received a subpoena to testify before a grand jury in Florida. Given this investigation was publicly reported last July, it's been ongoing for at least 14 months. How many agents have you assigned to investigate Mr. Brennan?

Director Patel (02:22:54):

I don't pick the number of agents that get assigned to these cases. The SACs are in charge and they run the investigations as they see fit.

Peter Welch (02:23:00):

And it's costing millions of dollars, bottom line. Here's the concern, Director Patel. You've been more than willing to use the FBI's limited resources to investigate President Trump's personal grievances over previous elections, Comey and Brennan for the 2016 election and Russia's involvement, Georgia election officials for 2020. My concern is that this means what you are willing to do for the President in this year's midterm elections that the President is already saying are going to be rigged if he loses. Last year during the President's State of the Union, President Trump referred to Democrats and said, this is public at the State of the Union. "The only way they can get elected is to cheat." Do you agree with President Trump's statement?

Director Patel (02:23:54):

The information you're discussing involves ongoing investigations and I'm not going to comment on that.

Peter Welch (02:23:59):

No, I'm asking you-

Director Patel (02:24:01):

I gave you my answer.

Peter Welch (02:24:02):

... about his assertion that in this upcoming election, days away from now-

Director Patel (02:24:05):

The President has the absolute right as any President to make whatever statements he wants.

Peter Welch (02:24:10):

... the only way that Democrats can win is to cheat. Do you agree with the President?

Director Patel (02:24:13):

Based upon the Russia-gate hoax and everything else that's happened, the President is completely justified in making his opinions known as does any president before him.

Peter Welch (02:24:23):

Well, you've been asked a few questions about what the FBI role is going to be. Last month, Congressman and Michigan gubernatorial candidate John James said to podcaster Benny Johnson, "I've already had a good conversation with my friend, Kash Patel, who has said already that the FBI will have a presence leading up to election day in Michigan in both West Michigan and Southeast Michigan." Is that true?

Director Patel (02:24:51):

We have an election crimes community coordinator in all 56 field office, so you bet we're going to have them there and manning the post for election interference matters.

Peter Welch (02:24:59):

Wait, I thought you weren't going to be sending people to the polls.

Director Patel (02:25:02):

When did you hear that? Just another lie.

Peter Welch (02:25:04):

When you answered Mr. Blumenthal.

Director Patel (02:25:06):

Nope.

Peter Welch (02:25:07):

So you are sending FBI agents to the polls.

Director Patel (02:25:09):

We have election crisis coordinators manned at all 56 field offices.

Peter Welch (02:25:17):

All right.

Director Patel (02:25:17):

Election integrity is of paramount importance. This FBI is not going to shy away from that effort.

Peter Welch (02:25:23):

This is existential.

Director Patel (02:25:23):

And if you want to continue lying about the men and women of the FBI so you can have your four-second campaign ad, go ahead. But the historic results, the 20% reduction in murder rate, the 1,100 terrorist attacks stopped, the 11,000 children found, the 54,000 violent offenders are what this FBI is driving towards. The top 10 most captured.

Peter Welch (02:25:43):

Mr. Chairman, not the question I asked.

Director Patel (02:25:44):

Six of the most wanted fraudsters captured.

Peter Welch (02:25:45):

I ask that my time be restored for this filibuster.

Director Patel (02:25:46):

You asked where we're spending our resources. We are spending the resources in delivering the most prolific reduction in crime in US history, crushing violent crime and defending the homeland. And that's where we're going to continue to do.

Peter Welch (02:25:57):

I ask that my time be restored, Mr. Chairman.

Senator Whitehouse (02:26:02):

Please proceed.

Peter Welch (02:26:04):

This is existential. You told Mr. Blumenthal you weren't sending FBI agents to election sites. And according to Mr. James, you said the FBI is on the way. And this is about whether the United States citizens, Republicans, Democrats, independents are the deciders of this election or there's election interference led by the FBI and the Trump administration. That's what this is about. Do you pledge that you will not in any way interfere in the will of the American people when they go to the polls in November?

Director Patel (02:26:40):

I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.

Peter Welch (02:26:45):

Then why are you being such a panderer to President Trump who's still claiming that he won the 2020 election and who has said the only way Democrats can win in 2026 is if they cheat? Do you believe that?

Director Patel (02:27:02):

What I believe in is the rule of law. What I will always believe is executing the rule of law.

Peter Welch (02:27:05):

The rule of law is the President saying in advance that if loses-

Director Patel (02:27:08):

Are you done with your campaign ad? By the way-

Peter Welch (02:27:10):

It's been rigged.

Director Patel (02:27:12):

I want to know how your wealth increased 4,000% since you became a United States Senator. That's a magic act all Americans should be available.

Peter Welch (02:27:20):

Mr. Patel...

Senator Whitehouse (02:27:21):

Let's knock it off. Senator Welch, proceed to ask your questions and the witness will answer the questions.

Peter Welch (02:27:28):

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Patel, you know that the First Amendment guarantees the right to a free press. Obviously. You filed five defamation lawsuits against journalists since 2019. And you filed your second against the author of an article in the Atlantic demanding $250 million from her. The complaint is based on, according to your complaint, these are your words, that she wrote, "You were known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication, in many cases in a private club at Ned's in Washington DC." She also wrote, "You are known to drink to excess at the Poodle Room in Las Vegas." Mr. Patel, is the FBI currently investigating or did the FBI ever investigate the author of that article, Ms. Fitzpatrick, following that Atlantic star?

Director Patel (02:28:24):

As a US citizen, I have every right to claim the truth. She printed false material. I'm taking her to court as a personal private-

Peter Welch (02:28:31):

I didn't ask that question.

Director Patel (02:28:31):

Let me finish.

Peter Welch (02:28:32):

No.

Director Patel (02:28:33):

As a personal private citizen-

Peter Welch (02:28:34):

Because you're answering a question I didn't ask.

Director Patel (02:28:35):

I am allowed to participate in my own defense, especially when there's a smear campaign, one which you are participating and continuing the falsehoods and lies that have been directed at me because of the historical dissent. You cannot stand the fact that President Trump and this FBI have made America more secure than it has ever been. You didn't do it in your 20 years in the Senate. No other administration has done it. We've done it. Your time's up.

Peter Welch (02:29:00):

Did the FBI investigate her is the question I asked.

Director Patel (02:29:06):

The FBI investigates criminals. The FBI investigates criminals and the FBI does not investigate personal matters. I told you I addressed it personally.

Peter Welch (02:29:17):

Did the FBI investigate the author of this article?

Director Patel (02:29:21):

No.

Peter Welch (02:29:22):

Ms. Fitzpatrick?

Director Patel (02:29:26):

You hard of hearing? I just said no.

Peter Welch (02:29:29):

I want to ask you about your trip to Italy.

Director Patel (02:29:31):

His time's up. Is he still going to go?

Peter Welch (02:29:33):

He interrupted and filibustered. Let me ask him about his trip to Italy.

Senator Whitehouse (02:29:37):

If you would wind it down.

Peter Welch (02:29:38):

I'll be brief. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand that there's a requirement that you take the official plane when you go to where you want to go. And apparently you wanted to go to the Olympics. And you were four days there and you did some, quote, work, a dinner with the Ambassador, an hour with Italy counterpart operatives, three 20-minute meetings of a security briefing, and a 30-minute tour over four days. And then you barged into the celebration of our winning Olympic team. What were you doing doing that? Can't you let the players enjoy the joy of their own victory?

Director Patel (02:30:25):

What you'll never understand is the players who are my friends invited me into the locker room. What you'll never understand is that during that trip where 300,000 Americans went to Italy to participate in the games and watch them, not a single security incident occurred. What you'll never understand is throughout the World Cup, not a single security incident occurred because we set a joint operation center up there. And the most important thing to come out of that trip, besides the American men defeating the Canadians and celebrating the love of this country and inviting me in to do so, is the fact that we obtained the seizure and capture of China's most prolific hacker and returned him to the United States.

Peter Welch (02:30:56):

And how about your trip to the Boondoggle Ranch?

Director Patel (02:31:01):

How many days off a year do you take? Because I took four this year.

Peter Welch (02:31:05):

How about your trip to the Boondoggle?

Director Patel (02:31:06):

I go where I want to go after delivering the most prolific crime reduction in US history. You take 180 days off a year and you can put up all the posters you want and all the lies you want, but everybody sees you for the complete and total fraud that you are.

Peter Welch (02:31:19):

I'll tell you what the lie is, that the 2020 election was rigged and it's a lie that only Democrats.

Senator Whitehouse (02:31:24):

Senator Welch, we need to wind down your questions so we can move on.

Peter Welch (02:31:29):

All right. I'll just end by this, Mr. Chairman. It's the American people, Republicans and Democrats and Independent who have to be the deciders of who their representatives in Congress are, not the President of the United States, not an FBI, a compliant servile FBI director who does the will of the President. I yield back.

Senator Whitehouse (02:31:53):

Mr. Patel, I want to congratulate you and the men and women of the FBI for getting back to basics when it comes to law enforcement. And even in this politically fraught and polarized environment where there are accusations cast back and forth, I appreciate the fact that you kept your eye on the prize. And I think is best demonstrated by the fact that crime rates are down across the board as a result of the good work that you and the men and women of the FBI have done.

(02:32:32)
I worried as a result of the weaponization of the Department of Justice and the FBI during the previous administration, and particularly the targeting of President Trump and the Russia-gate hoax and scandal, that there might be an overwhelming temptation for payback. And I hope that you and Attorney General Todd Blanche continue to resist that. Obviously, even people that you agree with, from a political perspective, may be subject to an investigation by the department.

(02:33:09)
That's appropriate just as it is if people you disagree with are subject to investigation if there's probable cause they've committed some sort of offense. So I appreciate the restoration of the Department back to basics. Let me reflect on a couple of things here. And I want to talk a little bit about crypto, about AI, and I want to talk a little bit about flock cameras.

(02:33:39)
So unbeknownst to me, there is such a thing as a crypto ATM where you can actually go to what looks like a traditional ATM and convert dollars to cryptocurrency. The Federal Trade Commission has reported a 1000% increase in money lost to scammers through crypto kiosks from 2020 to 2023. So as I reflect back on, for example, when I was Attorney General of Texas, we though we were being cutting edge by creating something we call the Texas Internet Bureau.

(02:34:21)
We thought we were really being cutting edge. And it sounds awfully quaint now. The current office is, I think the cyber crime division of the AG's office, which is more in line with current parlance. But the fact of the matter is every great technology can be used for ill by the bad guys. And I just want to know what kind of concerns do you have about cryptocurrency and the ability to use this for money laundering, for ransomware demands, and for other criminal activity? Because the very essence of the cryptocurrency is it's very difficult to trace. Can you expound on that?

Director Patel (02:35:14):

So with crypto, and I think you were ahead of the curve back in the day, Senator, for whatever that may be worth, crypto has a lot of lawful uses.

Senator Whitehouse (02:35:21):

Of course.

Director Patel (02:35:22):

And we don't want to impede in those lawful uses or the exchange of cryptocurrency. The problem with some of the crypto ATMs and other access to cryptocurrency is our adversaries have taken advantage of our laws. And what I mean by that is the scams and fraud that you're referring to is how these fraudsters and these scam centers that I was talking about earlier overseas washed their money and their ill-gotten gains.

(02:35:50)
And because we, the FBI, have launched the largest scam center initiative under Operation Blackout to obtain $17 billion in fraud back, a large chunk of it, which is crypto, we're able to go out there and seize that money back and start returning it to Americans. But what individual and disparate actors do across the world while targeting Americans is they take their money through these fraud schemes, phishing, romance schemes, online, texting, what have you, and trick senior citizens into giving them their life savings or their kids' college tuition, and then they wash that money through the crypto environment.

(02:36:24)
That's the fraud that we are focusing on, and that's where we need some assistance with Congress to have some more mechanisms to be able to chase down and prevent them from washing that money.

Senator Whitehouse (02:36:36):

So I think I understand, having been involved in politics a long time, I understand politics and the importance of public opinion when it comes to politics. But I also think public officials have a responsibility to tell the truth, to try to correct misperceptions about technology. For example, right now while we're seeing, particularly in social media, an attack on developing of artificial intelligence and data centers.

(02:37:05)
And I thought it was telling that Elon Musk's site, X, investigated, found 200 Chinese bots that were responsible for the doomsday scenarios that were used to scare people basically when it came to AI and these data centers. I understand the data centers, it's a whole other issue in terms of electricity rates, water use, and land use, and those need to be addressed at the local level, I believe. And people need to understand exactly what's involved, the benefits and costs and make their own decisions.

(02:37:52)
But I want to talk, there seems to also be a recent rush to judgment when it has come to automated license plate readers, or so-called flock cameras. Could you explain why these have been important for law enforcement investigations and law enforcement purposes?

Director Patel (02:38:12):

Absolutely. And I'm glad to address this matter. So private companies have, and private municipalities and towns put up cameras around traffic circles and the neighborhoods and the like. They collect information, not the FBI, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, basically publicly available information.

(02:38:33)
Where the FBI partners with these individuals is on a case-by-case basis and not a rolling access basis. And what we do in criminal investigations when a tragic event occurs, and I'll give you a very tragic event, but a great example, the Brown University shooting where that guy went in and killed a bunch of students, shot a bunch of students, and then fled the scene. The cameras weren't great up there in Brown University. We weren't able to get any facial recognition on the individual. But what we were able to get, based on a flock camera, was a license plate.

(02:39:06)
We were able to then trace that license plate to the individual and his scheme and ultimately find that individual who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in New Hampshire. That's just one example of how the FBI does it. The other examples are on chasing down child predators. We have continuously utilized this when people kidnap children and cross state lines. Then we go to these LPR leaders and say, "Hey, we have a picture of this car. We don't have any information on it. Can you help us out and to where it went?"

(02:39:37)
And we have saved children over and over again. From these child predators, we've retrieved these victims. We've also prosecuted these kidnappers and these child traffickers. And that's some of our best work because a lot of that leads to, unfortunately, the creation of child sexual abuse material and crimes against children of sexual nature. And we're able to track those with this. We have to use it lawfully. But we the FBI don't continue to access that on a rolling basis.

Senator Whitehouse (02:40:03):

On another topic-

Director Patel (02:40:00):

... Continue to access that on a rolling basis.

Senator Whitehouse (02:40:03):

On another topic, it's been about three months and three days since Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act has expired and not been reauthorized by Congress. I realize that many telecoms are cooperating with the government based on the certification by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. This is another area where I think there's a lot of misconception and misunderstanding. Obviously, we want to make sure that we keep our country safe and protect our national security interests, and we also want to protect individual privacy rights by American citizens. But in fact, this authority is only for foreigners overseas under very, very limited circumstances. They're tightly controlled by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and by Congressional Oversight Committees. Do you continue to believe that it's important for Congress to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act? And what happens if once the certification by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts runs out?

Director Patel (02:41:14):

So 702, try to get it done in a minute, is an intelligence community tool. The FBI, and I can only speak to us, our collection, is responsible for 3% of 702 collection. The other 97% is the rest of the IC. What the FBI does... Most importantly, what the FBI does not do is collect on US citizens. What the FBI does do is access, pursuant to the federal statute, already lawfully collected information of individuals who are overseas and are not USPERs. Were we prohibited to do that in the future, we've provided classified briefings to the Senate and the House in a litany of examples on terrorist attacks that we've prevented, children that we've found on narco-traffickers that we were able to annihilate and arrest based solely on 702 collection of overseas non-USPER individuals. And we want those methodologies to be able to be available to the FBI. Were that to go dark, we would have a lot of problems or we would have no ability to trace that information.

Senator Whitehouse (02:42:14):

And it's true that Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act comprises about 60% of the president's daily brief, the information that the president gets in a classified setting to protect the nation. Is that your understanding as well?

Director Patel (02:42:32):

Along with the PDB and the president being the recipient, as well as all other agency heads who direct our operations based on it. That's correct.

Senator Whitehouse (02:42:40):

Thank you very much.

Mr. Grassley (02:42:41):

Senator Hirono.

Mazie Hirono (02:42:43):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Patel, the FBI director should at least try to be above reproach, but there are many questions and concerns raised about your judgment and character. For example, in August 2025, you took a VIP snorkeling tour around the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, a sacred site, sacred. That is why these tours are rare since 2020. Only senior defense officials, members of the military, and one congressman who was a special forces veteran have participated and then came you. When this incident came to light in May, Senator Schumer, Durbin and I sent you a letter and we asked you three simple questions. First, what personal travel have you taken as FBI director? Two, what non-official activities have you attended as part of official travel? Three, what has been the cost to taxpayers of these kinds of activities? And three months later, no response. Mr. Patel, when can we expect your response to our letter?

Director Patel (02:44:09):

I actually provided for the first time ever, no director did before, a full analysis of not only my travel records, but Director Comey and Ray's as well. And when you look at that-

Mazie Hirono (02:44:19):

So is there a date anywhere in there for when you're going to respond to us?

Director Patel (02:44:22):

It's already been responded to.

Mazie Hirono (02:44:25):

What was that?

Director Patel (02:44:25):

It's already been responded to. That letter is public.

Mazie Hirono (02:44:29):

I don't have the response. Do you have it right there with you? Maybe you can hand it to me.

Director Patel (02:44:33):

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