CSPAN — LIVE Washington Journal
20260915 130000 UTC
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[00:03:09] CHAIR GRASSLEY: GOOD MORNING.
[00:03:19] DIRECTOR PATEL, WELCOME TO YOUR
[00:03:23] SECOND ANNUAL OVERSIGHT HEARING.
[00:03:27] I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY.
[00:03:32] >> THIS IS LIVE COVERAGE ON
[00:03:35] C-SPAN3. CHAIR GRASSLEY: YOU COMMITTED TO
[00:03:39] NOT LEAVING EARLY.
[00:03:40] YOU ARE NOW IN YOUR YEAR TWO OF
[00:03:45] YOUR DIRECTORSHIP.
[00:03:48] IN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME,
[00:03:51] YOU HAVE FACED MANY CHALLENGES,
[00:03:53] BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
[00:03:58] FORCES THAT YOU FACED.
[00:04:00] IT IS NOT AN EASY TASK MANAGING
[00:04:05] BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
[00:04:07] FORCES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REPAIRING THE DAMAGE DONE BY
[00:04:11] YOUR PREDECESSORS.
[00:04:16] YOU WILL HEAR DEMOCRATS CRITICIZE YOU TODAY FOR DREAMED
[00:04:20] UP FAILURES.
[00:04:21] THEY ARE GOING TO CRITICIZE YOU
[00:04:24] FOR FIRING ANY PERSONNEL AND
[00:04:27] SUPPOSEDLY WEAKENING THE AGENCY.
[00:04:30] BUT THE NUMBERS ON CRIME SHOW
[00:04:33] THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN THE JOB
[00:04:36] DONE, ACCORDING TO DATA PROVIDED
[00:04:39] TO THIS COMMITTEE, IN THE PAST
[00:04:42] 18 MONTHS, CRIMINAL ARRESTS ARE UP 80%.
[00:04:46] VIOLENT CRIME ARRESTS ARE UP 90%.
[00:04:52] GANG AND CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE
[00:04:56] ARRESTS ARE UP 30%, AS COMPARED
[00:05:00] TO THE PRECEDING 18 MONTHS.
[00:05:04] ENSURING THE SAFETY OF KIDS IS
[00:05:06] OF MONUMENTAL IMPORTANCE TO ME,
[00:05:10] AND WE HAVE ALSO HAD, ON THAT
[00:05:14] SUBJECT, A MAJOR BIPARTISAN
[00:05:16] FOCUS OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS
[00:05:21] COMMITTEE ON SAFETY FOR KIDS.
[00:05:24] IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS, THE FBI
[00:05:27] HAS HELPED TO LOCATE AND
[00:05:29] IDENTIFY OVER 11,000 CHILDREN
[00:05:33] WHO WERE THE VICTIMS OF CRIME.
[00:05:37] THAT IS UP 21 PERCENT FROM THE PRECEDING 18 MONTHS.
[00:05:40] IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME, THE
[00:05:43] FBI HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE
[00:05:46] ARREST OF OVER 5000 CHILD
[00:05:50] PREDATORS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS.
[00:05:52] THAT IS UP 13% FROM THE
[00:05:55] PRECEDING 18 MONTHS.
[00:05:57] THESE PREDATORS ARE THE
[00:06:00] DEFINITION OF EVIL, AND I
[00:06:05] APPLAUD YOUR LEADERSHIP IN
[00:06:09] HUNTING DOWN THESE AWFUL PEOPLE.
[00:06:14] THIS, ALL WHILE DEMOCRATS STOOD
[00:06:16] IDLY BY THE BIDEN-HARRIS
[00:06:22] ADMINISTRATION WHEN THEY LOST OR
[00:06:26] CANNOT LOCATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE CHILDREN.
[00:06:30] THE FBI PERSONNEL WHO HELPED
[00:06:31] BRING THESE EVIL PREDATORS TO
[00:06:36] JUSTICE DESERVE THE THANKS OF A GRATEFUL NATION.
[00:06:39] THEY ARE DOING THE JOB THE RIGHT
[00:06:42] WAY, UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS BIDEN
[00:06:46] ADMINISTRATION.
[00:06:47] AND DURING YOUR TENURE, NINE OF
[00:06:52] THE FBI'S TOP 10 FUGITIVES HAVE BEEN CAPTURED.
[00:06:55] THESE DATAPOINTS SHOW SOLID WORK
[00:07:02] BY THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FBI UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
[00:07:07] OF COURSE, YOU WOULD EXPECT ME
[00:07:10] TO TALK ABOUT WHISTLEBLOWERS WHILE YOU ARE HERE.
[00:07:14] I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOSTER AN
[00:07:17] ENVIRONMENT WHERE TRUE AND
[00:07:20] LEGITIMATE WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE
[00:07:23] REWARDED AND NOT PUNISHED FOR BLOWING THE WHISTLE.
[00:07:26] FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED -- WHO
[00:07:32] YOU HAVE HELPED, THE COMMITTEE THANKS YOU.
[00:07:35] I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO HEAR
[00:07:36] THEM OUT PERSONALLY, BECAUSE THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE
[00:07:42] UNVARNISHED VIEW LEADERSHIP
[00:07:44] NEEDS TO HEAR AND NOT WANT TO
[00:07:47] HEAR AND, OF COURSE, WITH THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WORK
[00:07:50] UNDER YOU, YOU CANNOT KNOW
[00:07:53] EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON. THIS CONGRESS, I HAVE MADE
[00:07:57] THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF RECORDS
[00:08:00] PUBLIC, THANKS IN LARGE PART TO
[00:08:06] BRAVE WHISTLEBLOWERS. ALSO UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, I
[00:08:09] HAVE BEGUN TO RECEIVE RECORDS
[00:08:12] THAT I HAVE SOUGHT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
[00:08:15] FOR EXAMPLE, I RECEIVED THE
[00:08:17] DECEMBER 2019 EMAIL TO FBI AGENT
[00:08:24] JOE PLANCKA, WHO WAS HEAVILY
[00:08:30] INVOLVED IN CROSSFIRE HURRICANE. THAT EMAIL CONTAINS INFORMATION
[00:08:34] THAT APPEARS TO CORROBORATE EXISTING PUBLIC EVIDENCE THAT
[00:08:36] PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THE TARGET
[00:08:39] OF A POLITICAL HIT AND THE
[00:08:44] GOVERNMENT KNEW IT MANY YEARS THAT IT WAS GOING ON.
[00:08:50] THE EMAIL OUGHT TO BE
[00:08:53] DECLASSIFIED FOR THE PUBLIC TO DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS.
[00:09:00] WHY WOULDN'T PRESIDENT TRUMP WANT ALL THIS INFORMATION ABOUT
[00:09:03] THE ABUSE THAT HE TOOK BE DECLASSIFIED?
[00:09:07] IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM, I WANT YOU TO ASK HIM THAT.
[00:09:12] SPEAKING OF CROSSFIRE HURRICANE
[00:09:14] TODAY, I WILL MAKE PUBLIC
[00:09:16] INITIAL EMAILS RELATED TO A
[00:09:18] CROSSFIRE SUB CASE.
[00:09:22] THE CASE INVOLVES AT LEAST THREE
[00:09:27] DISCREDITED FBI OFFICIALS THAT DEMOCRATS STILL TRY TO DEFEND.
[00:09:33] ONE, SPECIAL AGENT TEBO, THE
[00:09:37] ANTI-TRUMP KITCHEN -- CA
[00:09:46] MISCONDUCT.
[00:09:47] TWO, SPECIAL AGENTJUN, CARDENA
[00:09:57] WHO FILED REPORTEDLY A FALSE FISA.
[00:09:58] THREE, AGENT KEVIN UNO, WHO
[00:10:03] WANTED TO CRIMINALLY INVESTIGATE
[00:10:04] ELON MUSK FOR FACILITATING
[00:10:09] SENDING AND EMAIL ASKING FOR
[00:10:12] FIVE THINGS OFFICIALS ACCOMPLISHED THAT PARTICULAR
[00:10:16] WEEK, BY MAKING THAT -- I AM
[00:10:20] MAKING THAT EMAIL PUBLIC TODAY.
[00:10:22] THE RECORDS, GARDENA ASKS AT
[00:10:29] LEAST SEVEN TIMES VIA EMAIL AND
[00:10:33] ABOUT FOUR WEEKS TO PLACE HIMSELF ON THE CROSSFIRE TEAM
[00:10:37] AND START A NEW CASE ON TRUMP.
[00:10:39] AND HE DID SO WITH THE HELP OF
[00:10:43] TEBO.
[00:10:47] BASED ON THE RECORDS KNOWN TODAY, THAT CASE DID NOT ADVANCE.
[00:10:50] THESE RECORDS IN THE CASE THEY
[00:10:52] TRY TO OPEN ON SENATOR SINEMA
[00:10:56] UNDERCUT PUBLIC STATEMENTS BY A FORMER FBI OFFICIAL, AND THE
[00:11:01] AGENTS DO NOT GET TO PICK THEIR CASES.
[00:11:04] NOTABLY, HIS EFFORTS TO JOIN THE
[00:11:06] CROSSFIRE TEAM BEGAN AS EARLY AS
[00:11:09] JANUARY 2017, RIGHT BEFORE TRUMP
[00:11:13] TOOK OFFICE AND ON THE DAY OF
[00:11:16] TRUMP'S INAUGURATION, GARDENA
[00:11:23] EMAILED FBI AGENT JOE PAENKA, I
[00:11:28] WANT TO SHARE MY INTEREST AGAIN FOR JOINING THAT CASE.
[00:11:31] FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW, I HAVE
[00:11:32] MADE RECORDS PUBLIC SHOWING HOW
[00:11:37] A NUMBER OF NOW DISCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE
[00:11:42] OFFICIALS SCHEMED TO TAKE OUT
[00:11:47] TRUMP AND OTHER REPUBLICANS.
[00:11:49] AND HERE WE ARE IN 2026, STILL
[00:11:55] FINDING RECORDS FROM YEARS AGO SHOWING EVEN MORE EVIDENCE OF
[00:11:58] THAT TARGETING.
[00:12:02] THE OVERALL SUSTAINED EFFORTS BY
[00:12:03] THE DEEP STATE IN THE DARK
[00:12:06] CORNERS OF THE BUREAUCRACY IS WORSE THAN ANYTHING TRUMP HAS
[00:12:09] BEEN ACCUSED OF.
[00:12:11] AT LEAST TRUMP IS UPFRONT AND
[00:12:15] OPEN SO PEOPLE CAN JUDGE.
[00:12:18] THE PREVIOUS DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS UNDER OBAMA AND
[00:12:22] BIDEN CONDUCTED SECRET,
[00:12:26] INSIDIOUS, AND DOWNRIGHT EVIL
[00:12:30] OPERATIONS THAT ALMOST TOOK DOWN OUR GOVERNMENT.
[00:12:33] THAT IS ARGUABLY WORSE THAN WATERGATE.
[00:12:37] WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT
[00:12:39] POINT, STARTING IN JULY 2022, I
[00:12:43] BEGAN ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT
[00:12:47] OPERATION ROGUE RIVER -- ROUND
[00:12:51] RIVER, BASED ON WHISTLEBLOWER
[00:12:53] DISCLOSURES TO MY OFFICES.
[00:12:55] BASED ON ALLEGATIONS, ROUND
[00:12:59] RIVER WAS A FOREIGN INFLUENCE
[00:13:00] TASK FORCE OPERATION THAT, IN
[00:13:05] SOME CASES, FIRST SHUT DOWN
[00:13:07] SOURCES AND, SECONDLY, MARGINALIZED INFORMATION
[00:13:11] PROVIDED BY SOURCES ON FALSE
[00:13:15] ASSOCIATION OF RUSSIAN DISSIDENT
[00:13:19] INFORMATION. NOW, THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE VERY
[00:13:22] SAME DISCREDITED TASK FORCE THAT YOU HEAR -- THAT YOU WILL HEAR
[00:13:27] DEMOCRATS ATTACKING YOU, MR.
[00:13:31] PATEL, FOR TERMINATING.
[00:13:36] JUST LAST YEAR, SENATOR JOHNSON
[00:13:37] AND I RELEASED TWO FBI 1023
[00:13:43] DOCUMENTS. FOR THE RECORD, SUMMARIZED
[00:13:46] SOURCE REPORTING ABOUT ALLEGED BIDEN FAMILY CRIMINALITY, BASED
[00:13:50] ON INFORMATION PROVIDED SO FAR,
[00:13:52] IT APPEARS THE 1023'S WE
[00:13:57] RELEASED WERE INCLUDED IN ROUND RIVER.
[00:14:01] FOR THOSE IN THE PARTISAN MEDIA,
[00:14:04] I AM NOT DRAWING A CONCLUSION OF
[00:14:08] ALL THE RECORDS PROVIDED SO FAR.
[00:14:11] THE QUESTION PRESENTED IS
[00:14:13] WHETHER THE WRAY FBI FULLY
[00:14:18] INVESTIGATED ALL ALLEGATIONS OR SIMPLY SWEPT THEM UNDER THE RUG
[00:14:22] FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.
[00:14:26] AND THE RECORDS FROM THE
[00:14:28] GOVERNMENT INCLUDE TOO MANY
[00:14:32] REDUCTIONS, FRUSTRATING OUR
[00:14:35] ABILITY TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS.
[00:14:39] REGARDING REDUCTIONS, MY OFFICE
[00:14:42] HAS BEEN INFORMED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM MULTIPLE
[00:14:45] GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT ONE OF
[00:14:48] YOUR EMPLOYEES, FBI EMPLOYEE,
[00:14:55] JODY PETERSON, IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBSTRUCTIONS ON
[00:14:59] MANY PRODUCTIONS, NOT JUST ON ROUND RIVER?
[00:15:03] IF TRUE, HER ACTIONS UNDERMINE
[00:15:07] YOUR AND THIS ADMINISTRATION'S HISTORIC EFFORTS TO BRING ABOUT
[00:15:12] TRANSPARENCY, AND I AM REFERRING
[00:15:15] TO THE PRESIDENTIAL
[00:15:20] DECLASSIFICATION SEO.
[00:15:23] SO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, NOT YOU NECESSARILY, MR. PATEL, SHOULD
[00:15:27] CHECK UP ON HOW JODI PETERSON IS
[00:15:33] NOT FOLLOWING TRUMP'S DECLASSIFICATION EXECUTIVE ORDER.
[00:15:36] RIGHT NOW, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
[00:15:41] HOW YOUR PREDECESSORS AT THE FBI AND WITH FEDERAL RECORDS
[00:15:46] RETENTION IN ROUND RIVER. AS I NOTED AT YOUR LAST
[00:15:49] OVERSIGHT HEARING, PROHIBITED
[00:15:54] ACCESS FILES WERE USED IN CROSSFIRE HURRICANE.
[00:15:59] THAT TYPE OF FILE RESTRICTION
[00:16:02] MAKES DOCUMENTS EXTREMELY
[00:16:04] DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO
[00:16:08] LOCATE FOR PRODUCTION TO CONGRESS OR FOR YOU REQUESTERS
[00:16:11] -- OR FOIA REQUESTERS.
[00:16:17] SIMILAR QUESTIONS ABOUT ROUND RIVER. EXAMPLE, AN UNCLASSIFIED
[00:16:20] SENTENCE IN AN EMAIL FROM FBI
[00:16:24] SUPERVISOR SPECIAL AGENT MICHAEL TO LAUREL, A MEMBER OF THE NOW
[00:16:29] DISBANDED FOREIGN INFLUENCE TASK
[00:16:31] FORCE SAID, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE
[00:16:35] CLASSIFICATION CAVEATS, BUT OUR
[00:16:40] OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL HAS
[00:16:41] DIRECTED US TO CLASSIFY OUR WORK
[00:16:46] THIS WAY ON PAST EXPERIENCES
[00:16:49] WITH CROSSFIRE HURRICANE.
[00:16:52] IT APPEARS THE WRAY FBI
[00:16:57] INTENTIONALLY MISCLASSIFIED
[00:16:59] INFORMATION, MAKING MORE OBSTACLES TO OBTAINING ACCESS.
[00:17:03] THE FOREIGN INFLUENCE TASK FORCE
[00:17:05] WAS THE VERY SAME OUTFIT THAT
[00:17:10] GAVE ME AN SENATOR JOHNSON THAT
[00:17:12] FAMOUS FAKE BRIEFING USE TO
[00:17:18] UNDERMINE OUR BIDEN FAMILY INVESTIGATION IN 2020.
[00:17:22] DIRECTOR PATEL, YOU ARE RIGHT TO
[00:17:28] SHUT DOWN THE POLITICAL TASK FORCE.
[00:17:33] LASTLY, THROUGH PROTECTED WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES, HAVE
[00:17:35] OBTAINED CASE RECORDS ON PETER NAVARRO.
[00:17:40] I HAVE LONG SAID THE MANNER THAT
[00:17:41] THE WRAY FBI TREATED NAVARRO AT
[00:17:46] HIS ARREST WAS UNNECESSARY. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN GLADLY TO
[00:17:50] SHOW UP JUST AS THE RESULT OF A PHONE CALL.
[00:17:53] THESE NEW RECORDS SHOW THE FBI
[00:17:55] MONITORED HIS APPEARANCE ON SEAN
[00:18:00] HANNITY'S FOX NEWS SHOW AND OTHER MEDIA.
[00:18:02] I OFFER THESE RECORDS FOR
[00:18:04] ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY ABOUT HIS CASE.
[00:18:08] DIRECTOR PATEL, AS I HAVE BEFORE
[00:18:13] , I ASSUME THE OTHER SIDE, DESPITE MANY OF THEIR OWN
[00:18:18] SHORTCOMINGS WHO PERSONALLY ATTACKED YOU, QUESTION YOUR
[00:18:22] ETHICS, TRUTHFULNESS, AND YOUR ABILITIES.
[00:18:24] DO NOT LET THAT AFFECT YOU, AND
[00:18:26] I HOPE WE CAN HAVE A REALLY GOOD
[00:18:31] DISCUSSION HERE.
[00:18:34] AND I WOULD ASK YOU IF, IF YOU
[00:18:40] GET TALKED OVER HER STUFF LIKE THAT, I WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO
[00:18:43] RESPOND SO YOU CAN DO IT IN A
[00:18:46] THOUGHTFUL MANNER. I HOPE YOU WILL BE A BETTER
[00:18:48] PERSON AND NOT RETURN THE FAVOR
[00:18:51] WITH PERSONAL ATTACKS, BUT SET
[00:18:54] THE RECORD, STATE THE FACTS WITH INFORMATION THAT WE AND THE
[00:18:57] PUBLIC APPRECIATE.
[00:19:04] >> THANKS, CHAIRMAN GRASSLEY, LET ME SAY AT THE OUTSET, THAT
[00:19:07] WE JUST HEARD AGAIN AN
[00:19:09] INTRODUCTION BY THE CHAIRMAN THAT GAVE REFERENCE TO CROSSFIRE HURRICANE.
[00:19:14] AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IN
[00:19:16] THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF AND.
[00:19:19] OVER A YEAR AGO, ALL THE DEMOCRATS ON THIS COMMITTEE SAID
[00:19:24] STOP GIVING THESE SPEECHES AND BRING THE PEOPLE BEFORE US TO TESTIFY UNDER OATH.
[00:19:29] WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, JACK
[00:19:31] SMITH, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WHO WAS A CONSTANT REFERENCE POINT
[00:19:35] WHEN IT COMES TO THIS GRAND CONSPIRACY, HAS VOLUNTEERED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO APPEAR
[00:19:40] BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE UNDER OATH AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
[00:19:43] WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK OF HIM?
[00:19:46] YET, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THIS COMMITTEE REFUSES TO BRING
[00:19:49] HIM, PERHAPS IN A FEW WEEKS WHEN HE PROMISED HE WILL SHOW UP,
[00:19:53] THEY CAN START BY EXPLAINING WHY THEY WAITED A YEAR, IF WE ARE
[00:19:57] TALKING ABOUT A GRAND CONSPIRACY. JACK SMITH, SPECIAL COUNSEL, IS
[00:20:01] NOW -- WILL BE UNDER OATH BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE. EACH WILL HAVE A CHANCE AS
[00:20:05] PERTINENT QUESTIONS TO CLEAR THAT UP. FOR SOME REASON, THE DECISION
[00:20:09] WAS MADE AT SOME LEVEL TO LET THIS CONTROVERSY FASTER, RATHER
[00:20:12] THAN BRING THE PERSON WHO CAN ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
[00:20:16] THIS HEARING CANNOT COME AT A MORE IMPORTANT TIME.
[00:20:19] 25 YEARS AFTER 9/11, THE
[00:20:23] DEADLIEST TERRORIST ATTACK IN HISTORY.
[00:20:25] THE FBI AT THAT POINT HAD TO
[00:20:28] IMMEDIATELY ADAPT TO A CHANGED WORLD.
[00:20:30] DO YOU REALIZE THAT ON 911, WHEN
[00:20:33] INFORMATION WAS GATHERED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TERRORISTS, IT WAS
[00:20:36] SENT TO THE UNITED STATES, NOT
[00:20:41] BY ANY EMAIL DEVICE OR ANY
[00:20:43] COMPUTER DEVICE, BUT HAND MAILED
[00:20:46] , BECAUSE THE FBI COMPUTER
[00:20:48] CAPABILITY ON 9/11 WAS BELOW THE
[00:20:52] EXPERTISE LEVEL OF RADIOSHACK, IT WAS THAT BAD.
[00:20:56] FROM MODERNIZING TECHNOLOGY TO INTEGRATING AGENTS AND ANALYSTS,
[00:20:59] THE BUREAU BUILT OUT
[00:21:03] CAPABILITIES AND DEVELOPED IMMENSE EXPERTISE ACROSS THE WORKFORCE AFTER THAT TERRIBLE
[00:21:08] EVENT 25 YEARS AGO.
[00:21:09] DIRECTOR ROBERT MUELLER LED THE
[00:21:13] FBI AT THIS TUMULTUOUS TIME. HE, MORE THAN ANY SINGLE
[00:21:17] INDIVIDUAL, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MODERNIZING THE FBI TO COMBAT
[00:21:20] THE THREATS WE FACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
[00:21:22] I WAS PROUD TO WORK WITH HIM ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS AND KNEW
[00:21:26] LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT THE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. I CALLED HIM AND SAID WHAT I
[00:21:30] HEARD ABOUT THE RADIOSHACK COMPARISON, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE
[00:21:33] NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO
[00:21:36] MODERNIZE TECHNOLOGY. IF YOU WILL LEAD IN THAT AREA, I WILL TRY TO HELP.
[00:21:39] THAT IS WHAT WE DID. WE DID NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT I ALWAYS RESPECTED HIM.
[00:21:43] BOB MUELLER WAS A PATRIOT AND A
[00:21:46] PERSON OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. MODERNIZING THE FBI HAS NOT BEEN
[00:21:50] AN EASY PROCESS. BALANCING GROWING FOCUS ON
[00:21:52] NATIONAL SECURITY AND TERRORISM
[00:21:56] PREVENTION EFFORTS WITH TRADITIONAL WORK INVESTIGATING WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AND
[00:22:00] CORRUPTION HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT.
[00:22:03] OVER THE YEARS, THE FBI HAS
[00:22:04] GAINED MORE AUTHORITY AT TIMES
[00:22:09] IN HISTORY MISUSED IT. THERE IS TO WORK TO BE DONE TO
[00:22:12] EARN PUBLIC TRUST AND ENSURE THE MOST POWERFUL FEDERAL
[00:22:16] INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY IN THE WORLD ONLY ENGAGES IN LAWFUL
[00:22:20] OPERATIONS.
[00:22:23] CONTINUING TO MEET NEW THREATS
[00:22:25] WHILE TACKLING THESE CHALLENGES REQUIRES STEADY COMMITTED
[00:22:29] LEADERSHIP FROM SOMEONE WHO
[00:22:31] UNDERSTANDS THE STAKES AND HAS THE HUMILITY TO LEAD AS A
[00:22:34] SERVANT OF THE PUBLIC, LIKE BOB MILLER.
[00:22:38] SADLY, FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE CURRENT DIRECTOR DOES NOT
[00:22:41] MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
[00:22:42] MR. PATEL IS THE LEAST QUALIFIED
[00:22:46] AND MOST PARTISAN FBI DIRECTOR IN OUR NATION HISTORY.
[00:22:49] HE DOES NOT HAVE THE JUDGMENT,
[00:22:53] EXPERIENCE, THEN DIRECTOR MUELLER. BEFORE HE WAS CONFIRMED, MR.
[00:22:57] PATEL FALSELY CLAIMED IN PUBLIC
[00:22:59] THAT THE FBI "WAS PLANNING
[00:23:02] JANUARY 6 FOR A YEAR."
[00:23:05] HE COMPILED AN ENEMIES LIST OF
[00:23:08] PUBLIC SERVANTS HE CALLED "GOVERNMENT GANGSTERS."
[00:23:12] HE PROMISED TO TARGET THEM IF HE
[00:23:14] WAS CONFIRMED AS HEAD OF THE FBI. DESPITE THE WARNINGS OF SENATE
[00:23:19] DEMOCRATS DURING HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING, OUR
[00:23:22] REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES CHOSE TO IGNORE THESE FACTS.
[00:23:26] THEY PROTEST PRESIDENT TRUMPS RETRIBUTION CAMPAIGN OVER THE
[00:23:29] SAFETY OF AMERICANS, AND THEY
[00:23:32] JOINED ON A PARTISAN BASIS CONFIRMING DIRECTOR PATEL TO LEAD THE FBI.
[00:23:37] UNDER MR. PATEL'S FAILED
[00:23:40] LEADERSHIP, DECADES OF EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE AND REFORM THE FBI
[00:23:44] ARE BEING UNDONE, AND THE BUREAU
[00:23:47] HAS BEEN RESHAPED AS A POLITICAL WEAPON AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
[00:23:51] POLITICAL ENEMIES AND A SHIELD
[00:23:53] TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
[00:23:56] MAGA ROYALISTS, NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. DIRECTOR PATEL HAS BEEN THE
[00:24:00] CENTRAL FIGURE PUSHING THE SO-CALLED GRAND CONSPIRACY,
[00:24:03] DIVERTING FBI RESOURCES TO
[00:24:08] INANE, DEBUNKED CONSPIRACY
[00:24:10] THEORIES THAT THE "DEEP STATE HAS BEEN TARGETING PRESIDENT
[00:24:14] TRUMP SINCE HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN."
[00:24:16] DEEP STATE IS CHARACTERIZED AS WORSE THAN WATERGATE, SECRET AND INSIDIOUS.
[00:24:21] YET, THE MAJORITY ON THIS COMMITTEE REFUSES TO CALL JACK
[00:24:25] SMITH, HIS SPECIAL COUNSEL, UNDER OATH TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
[00:24:29] ABOUT THIS SO-CALLED GRAND CONSPIRACY.
[00:24:32] DIRECTOR PATEL IS ALSO WASTING
[00:24:35] FBI RESOURCES TO RELITIGATE THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
[00:24:39] HOW MANY TIMES DID NOMINEES WHO WERE JUDGES, RESPECTED
[00:24:43] PROFESSIONALS, PROFESSORS COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AND REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH
[00:24:46] EVERY EIGHTH-GRADER IN AMERICA
[00:24:50] KNOWS, PRESIDENT TRUMP LOST THE
[00:24:52] 2020 ELECTION TO JOE BIDEN BY 7 MILLION VOTES.
[00:24:55] THAT IS SIMPLE AND OBVIOUS, A MATTER OF FACT.
[00:24:58] YET, THESE NOMINEES REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT REALITY BECAUSE
[00:25:01] THIS IS PART OF THE GREAT CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT TRUMP
[00:25:04] NEVER LOSES ANYTHING.
[00:25:08] TO WEAPONIZE THE FBI AGAINST -- DIRECTOR PATEL HAS OVERSEEN A
[00:25:12] PURGE OF THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF
[00:25:14] LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, FROM ANALYSTS AND AGENTS TO THE MOST
[00:25:18] SENIOR LEADERSHIP, THE BUREAU HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF TENS OF
[00:25:21] THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE IN THESE AGENTS.
[00:25:26] DIRECTOR PATEL HAS INSTALLED MAGA LOYALISTS AS POLITICAL
[00:25:30] APPOINTEES IN KEY CAREER
[00:25:31] POSITIONS, AND HE IMPOSED
[00:25:35] LOYALTY TESTS, REQUIRING FBI OFFICIALS TO UNDERGO POLYGRAPHS
[00:25:38] TO SAY WHETHER THEY EVER CRITICIZED HIM.
[00:25:40] AT THE SAME TIME, THOUSANDS OF
[00:25:43] AGENTS HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED FROM THEIR PRIMARY CRIMINAL AND
[00:25:46] NATIONAL SECURITY MISSION TO
[00:25:48] IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, WITH
[00:25:51] THE NUMBER OF FBI PERSONNEL WORKING ON IMMIGRATION MATTERS
[00:25:53] INCREASING BY OVER 2000% AS OF
[00:25:57] LAST SEPTEMBER. LET ME ASK YOU, WHERE ARE THE
[00:26:00] WORST OF THE WORST?
[00:26:03] OVERWHELMINGLY, THE PEOPLE BEING DETAINED AND DEPORTED HAVE NO
[00:26:06] CRIMINAL RECORD WHATSOEVER.
[00:26:07] IN TOTAL, OVER 9000 FBI
[00:26:12] PERSONNEL, 25% OF THE BUREAU WORKED ON IMMIGRATION CASES
[00:26:15] BETWEEN JANUARY AND SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
[00:26:17] AS PART OF THIS SHIFT IN RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[00:26:20] SHUT DOWN 23,000 CRIMINAL CASES
[00:26:23] IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
[00:26:27] TO REPLACE THESE CAREER PROFESSIONALS THEY PURGED,
[00:26:30] DIRECTOR PATEL HAS BEGUN WITH
[00:26:33] HIRING STANDARDS, AND TODAY WILL BE HIS OPPORTUNITY UNDER OATH TO
[00:26:37] ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STANDARDS BEING USED FOR NEW FBI AGENTS.
[00:26:41] IN AN INTERVIEW IN JULY, HE
[00:26:43] CLAIMED THE FBI IS "LOSING TOO
[00:26:46] MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES," HIS
[00:26:49] WORDS," TO THE RIGORS AND
[00:26:51] REQUIREMENTS OF YESTERYEAR." WHAT ARE THOSE SO CALLED
[00:26:55] OBSOLETE REQUIREMENTS? ACCORDING TO A MEMO ISSUED IN
[00:26:58] JUNE, THE FBI HAS REMOVED FROM
[00:27:01] ITS LIST OF AUTOMATIC HIRING
[00:27:05] DISQUALIFICATIONS THEFT FROM AN EMPLOYER, SEX SOLICITATION, AND
[00:27:08] BEAST REALITY. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY,
[00:27:12] DIRECTOR PATEL IS TRYING TO TAKE
[00:27:14] CREDIT FOR THE SUCCESSFUL EXPERT -- EFFORTS OF STATE AND LOCAL
[00:27:18] LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME. THE REALITY IS THAT VIOLENT
[00:27:22] CRIME SPIKED DRINK OF A 19
[00:27:23] PANDEMIC AND HAS BEEN STEADILY,
[00:27:27] CONSISTENTLY DECLINING SINCE 2022. -- THE REALITY IS THAT VIOLENT
[00:27:32] CRIME INCREASED DURING THE
[00:27:37] PANDEMIC. LOOK AT THE DATA. CITIES WHERE THE NATIONAL GUARD
[00:27:41] OR OTHER FEDERAL FORCES WERE NOT
[00:27:44] DEPLOYED HAD A DROP IN VIOLENT
[00:27:48] CRIME SIMILAR TO CITIES WHERE THEY WERE DEPORTED. IT IS MISLEADING AND OFFENSIVE
[00:27:52] FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH HAS CODDLED JANUARY 6 RIOTERS,
[00:27:56] GIVING THEM FULL UNCONDITIONAL PARDONS FROM THE PRESIDENT, ONE
[00:28:01] OF HIS FIRST ACTS IN OFFICE. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MENDED
[00:28:04] THE -- ENDED THE CAREER OF THOUSANDS OF PROFESSIONAL FBI AGENT'S BECAUSE THEY DID NOT
[00:28:09] MEET SOME POLITICAL TEST AND BLOCKED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
[00:28:12] DOLLARS IN GRANTS TO LOCAL LAW
[00:28:15] ENFORCEMENT THAT IS NOT BACKING
[00:28:19] THE BLUE BY ANY STANDARD.
[00:28:21] IN FACT, THE CITIES WHERE
[00:28:24] FEDERAL FORCES WERE DEPLOYED EXPERIENCE WIDESPREAD ABUSES OF
[00:28:27] CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING
[00:28:30] MULTIPLE LETHAL SHOOTINGS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
[00:28:34] THE FBI IS CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING THE DEADLY USE OF
[00:28:36] FORCE BY FEDERAL AGENTS BUT HAS
[00:28:39] TURNED ITS BACK ON ITS DUTIES
[00:28:41] UNDER DIRECTOR PATEL. INSTEAD, THE DEPARTMENT OF
[00:28:45] HOMELAND SECURITY IS NOW THE PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR OF WHETHER
[00:28:47] ITS OWN POORLY VETTED AND TRAINED EMPLOYEES VIOLATED THE
[00:28:51] LAW DURING ILL-CONCEIVED MISSIONS.
[00:28:54] DIRECTOR PATEL HAS ALSO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE TRUMP
[00:28:58] ADMINISTRATION'S COVER UP OF THE EPSTEIN FILES. DIRECTOR PATEL DIVERTED MORE
[00:29:02] THAN 1000 FBI AGENTS FROM THEIR
[00:29:05] CRITICAL MISSIONS WORK ON
[00:29:09] 24-HOUR SHIFTS REVIEWING EVERY
[00:29:10] PAGE OF THE EPSTEIN FILES.
[00:29:13] THESE PERSONNEL WERE WAS MEANT
[00:29:18] -- NAME WAS MENTIONED. THAT REVIEW ENDED IN AN UNSIGNED
[00:29:23] MEMORANDUM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND FBI SIMPLY
[00:29:26] CLAIMING, "THERE IS NO INCRIMINATING CLIENT LIST IN THE EPSTEIN FILES."
[00:29:32] DIRECTOR PATEL STILL HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR LETTER FOR MORE
[00:29:36] THAT A YEAR -- FROM MORE THAN A YEAR AGO ASKING ABOUT HIS
[00:29:39] PERSONAL ROLE IN THIS COVER-UP. BUT WE NOW KNOW THAT DIRECTOR
[00:29:43] PATEL REPORTEDLY JOINED IN A MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE
[00:29:45] SITUATION ROOM ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT FROM
[00:29:49] FALLOUT FROM THIS COVER-UP WITH THE EPSTEIN FILES.
[00:29:52] DIRECTOR PATEL FAILED TO ENSURE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
[00:29:56] ACTUALLY RECRUITED -- RELEASED
[00:29:59] AS THEY REQUIRED EVERYTHING ABOUT EPSTEIN AND HIS CO-CONSPIRATORS.
[00:30:03] THIS HAS COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO DESERVE
[00:30:07] TRANSPARENCY. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AT THE EXPENSE OF SURVIVORS OF EPSTEIN'S ABUSE,
[00:30:12] WHO DESERVE JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TODAY, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A
[00:30:16] POSITION WHERE THE FBI IS
[00:30:18] EXPENDING IMMENSE RESOURCES TO PROJECT PRESIDENT TRUMP
[00:30:21] POLITICALLY AND DELIVER RETRIBUTION TO HIS ENEMIES.
[00:30:24] BUT HIS DIVERTING RESOURCES AWAY
[00:30:25] FROM PROTECTING THE SAFETY,
[00:30:28] SECURITY, AND RIGHTS OF ORDINARY AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
[00:30:32] MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS WILL LIKELY BE MY LAST FBI OVERSIGHT HEARING
[00:30:35] AS I AM LEAVING THE SENATE. I CAME OF AGE DURING THE 1960'S
[00:30:39] WHEN J EDGAR HOOVER, THE FBI
[00:30:44] LAWLESS HE TARGETED POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND LABOR LEADERS.
[00:30:46] I WAS PROUD TO BE PART OF BIPARTISAN EFFORTS OVER THAT
[00:30:50] MANY YEARS TO ENSURE THE FBI PROTECTED BOTH SECURITY AND
[00:30:54] FREEDOM FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I'M DISAPPOINTED THIS COMMITTEE
[00:30:57] HAS STOOD BY IT SINCE JANUARY
[00:31:00] 2025 AS THAT WORK HAS BEEN UNDONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO A DAY HOPEFULLY IN THE VERY NEAR
[00:31:04] FUTURE WHEN THIS COMMITTEE WILL FULFILL ITS DUTY TO HOLD
[00:31:07] DIRECTOR PATEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU.
[00:31:11] CHAIR GRASSLEY: DIRECTOR PATEL,
[00:31:13] WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE
[00:31:18] SWEARING IN? DO YOU AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU ARE ABOUT TO GIVE BEFORE
[00:31:21] THIS COMMITTEE WILL BE THE
[00:31:24] TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, NOTHING
[00:31:25] BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOT?
[00:31:30] DIR. PATEL: I DO. CHAIR GRASSLEY: THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED.
[00:31:34] YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OPENING STATEMENT NOW.
[00:31:37] THEN A 10-MINUTE ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
[00:31:41] DIR. PATEL: GOOD MORNING.
[00:31:43] FOUR DAYS AGO OUR NATION MARK 25
[00:31:46] YEARS SINCE TERRORISTS ATTACKED OUR HOMELAND ON SEPTEMBER 11,
[00:31:50] TWO THOUSAND ONE, AND MURDERED 2009 HUNDRED 77 AND IS IN PEOPLE.
[00:31:53] AS A KID HE GREW UP ON LONG ISLAND, THIS RESONATED WITH ME.
[00:31:57] 25 YEARS LATER, WE HONOR THE LIVES TAKEN THAT DAY, FIRST
[00:32:01] RESPONDERS, SURVIVORS, THOUSANDS OF FBI EMPLOYEES TO ANSWERED THE
[00:32:06] CALL A NEW YORK, THE PENTAGON, AND PENNSYLVANIA, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[00:32:10] 34 FBI EMPLOYEES THAT PERISHED AS A RESULT OF 9/11.
[00:32:12] OVER 18 MONTHS AGO DURING MY CONFIRMATION PROCESS, I TOLD YOU
[00:32:16] THE FBI NEEDED A FASTER, MORE
[00:32:20] EFFICIENT WAY TO ELIMINATE BUREAUCRACY AND REDUCE THE WEAPONIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPLETELY.
[00:32:26] EMBRACE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS AND ENGAGE WITH
[00:32:29] PARTNERS AND MOST PROBABLY, LET GOOD COPS BE COPS. UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMPS
[00:32:33] LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE NOT ONLY ACCELERATED THAT MISSION, WE HAVE DELIVERED.
[00:32:36] THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST PROLIFIC RUN OF CRIME REDUCTION IN THE
[00:32:40] UNITED STATES HISTORY, WITH THE HELP OF OUR GREAT PARTNERS,
[00:32:44] SINCE BEING IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
[00:32:46] A FEW NUMBERS BEHIND THESE STATS, LIVES SAVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[00:32:50] THE FBI HAS ARRESTED 54,000
[00:32:55] VIOLENT CRIME MOMENT --
[00:32:57] CRIMINALS, THAT IS UP 90% FROM
[00:32:59] THE 18 MONTH PERIOD PRIOR TO THAT.
[00:33:02] THAT IS MAKING AMERICA SAFE. 31 THOUSAND VIOLENT GANG MEMBERS
[00:33:05] HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE FBI, THAT IS UP 30%, MAKING AMERICA
[00:33:10] SAFE. WE HAVE REMOVED THE FBI -- THE
[00:33:14] FBI REMOVED 3258 KILOGRAMS OF
[00:33:18] FENTANYL, ENOUGH TO KILL A QUARTER BILLION AMERICANS.
[00:33:21] THAT SEIZURE IS UP 8% BY THE FBI, THAT IS MAKING AMERICA SAFE.
[00:33:26] WE HAVE LOCATED, FOUND, AND
[00:33:29] IDENTIFIED 11,081 CHILD VICTIMS.
[00:33:32] THAT IS UP 21%. THAT IS MAKING AMERICA SAFE.
[00:33:36] THIS FBI HAS FOUND AND LOCATED
[00:33:38] MORE CHILDREN THAN ANY FBI IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
[00:33:41] WE HAVE ARRESTED 5072 CHILD
[00:33:45] PREDATORS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS. THAT IS UP 13%.
[00:33:48] THIS FBI IS MAKING AMERICA SAFE.
[00:33:51] WE COME OF THIS FBI, HAVE ARRESTED 4002 HUNDRED 60 FOREIGN
[00:33:56] TERRORIST ORGANIZATION MEMBERS,
[00:33:59] UP 38%, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT
[00:34:02] THIS FBI HAS STOPPED 1100
[00:34:07] CRIMINAL PERPETRATORS FROM COMMITTING TERRORIST ATTACKS ON U.S. SOIL.
[00:34:11] THIS FBI HAS EXECUTED 86 FOREIGN
[00:34:13] TRANSFERS OF CUSTODY, WITH 54%
[00:34:17] INCREASE FOR PERPS CAPTURED OVERSEAS, AND WE HAVE EXTRADITED
[00:34:20] 157 CRIMINALS FROM OVERSEAS, A
[00:34:24] 65% INCREASE IN JUST THESE LAST 18 MONTHS.
[00:34:27] IN 2025, ACCORDING TO THE
[00:34:30] UNIFORM CRIME REPORT, WE DELIVERED THE LARGEST REDUCTION IN THE MURDER RATE IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA.
[00:34:36] WE, THE FBI, CAPTURED MORE THAN
[00:34:38] 2.5 TIMES THE NUMBER THE TOP 10
[00:34:41] MOST WANTED FUGITIVES ON THE FBI'S LIST FROM THE PRIOR
[00:34:45] ADMINISTRATION. IN FACT, I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
[00:34:48] TODAY, AND I HATE TO CORRECT YOU, WE HAVEN'T CAPTURED NINE OF
[00:34:51] THE TOP 10 MOST WANTED
[00:34:53] INDIVIDUALS ON OUR LIST, WE HAVE CAPTURED 10.
[00:34:56] THIS WE CAN, WE CAPTURED A THUG IN VENEZUELA SHE WAS ON OUR MOST
[00:35:00] WANTED LIST AND ON THE RUN FOR YEARS. HE HAS BEEN CAPTURED,
[00:35:03] APPREHENDED, AND ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.
[00:35:05] THAT IS 10 OF 10. NOBODY IN HISTORY HAS DONE THAT.
[00:35:10] THIS YEAR IS JUST ANOTHER
[00:35:12] EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS FBI IS
[00:35:15] CAPTURING LITERALLY THE WORST OF THE WORST ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
[00:35:17] ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE CAPTURED SIX OF THE MOST WANTED
[00:35:21] FRAUDSTERS AROUND THE WORLD. TAKING THE MURDER RATE DOWN 20
[00:35:24] POINTS IS NO EASY EFFORT.
[00:35:26] IT REQUIRES A TEAM LIFT, STATE, LOCAL, AND INTERNATIONAL
[00:35:30] PARTNERS. THIS INCLUDES RESULTS IN CITIES
[00:35:33] LIKE BALTIMORE, WHICH REACHED
[00:35:36] THE LOWEST MIDYEAR HOMICIDE NUMBERS IN RECORDED HISTORY THIS YEAR.
[00:35:39] IN MEMPHIS, WE ACCOMPLISHED A
[00:35:42] 50% REDUCTION AND HOMICIDE, FOR
[00:35:44] US TO DO THE HEAD OF THE COUNTRY
[00:35:48] , THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE. RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
[00:35:52] WE ARE ON TRACK TO HAVE THE LOWS HOMICIDE NUMBERS SINCE 1990.
[00:35:56] THESE EVENTS ARE NOT BY ACCIDENT. THE SUCCESS MEANS THAT THIS FBI
[00:35:59] HAS MADE MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
[00:36:03] THAN EVER, AND I'M PROUD TO MEET -- LEAD THE AGENCY.
[00:36:06] WHILE DOING THIS GREAT WORK FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE FBI
[00:36:10] PREPARED FOR THE LARGEST INFLUX
[00:36:11] OF TOURISTS, BETWEEN THE CLUB
[00:36:14] WORLD CUP, TWO F1 RACES, PROTECTED 300,000 AMERICANS IN
[00:36:17] THE OLYMPICS, AND THEN ACROSS 60
[00:36:21] AMERICA 250 EVENTS THIS YEAR
[00:36:25] ALONE, WE WELCOMED OVER 12 MILLION VISITORS TO THE S -- TO
[00:36:28] THE U.S. TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS. NOT ONE SINGLE SECURITY INCIDENT
[00:36:32] OCCURRED AT ANY SINGLE ONE OF THESE EVENTS. NO NATE -- NO MAJOR SECURITY
[00:36:36] INCIDENTS. WITH OUR PARTNERS, THIS IS HOW WE KEEP AMERICA SAFE.
[00:36:39] THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE
[00:36:43] BACK THE BLUE AND THIS NEW FBI HAS BEEN REBUILT TO CRUSH VIOLENT CRIME.
[00:36:46] THESE ARE IMPORTANT CHANGES --
[00:36:50] IMPORTANT RESULTS THAT HAPPENED DUE TO IMPORTANT CHANGES.
[00:36:52] THE CHANGES ARE AS FOLLOWS. WE ESTABLISHED FOR THE FIRST OF
[00:36:55] THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNER COUNCIL, PUTTING 1000 AGES BACK
[00:36:58] INTO THE FIELD AND MORE THAN 200
[00:37:01] ADDITIONAL INTEL INTO THE FIELD
[00:37:03] AND SET OF WASHINGTON, D.C., AND BOLSTERED SYSTEMS. WE HEADED FOR THE FIRST TIME
[00:37:08] EVER 2750 TASK FORCE OFFICERS TO
[00:37:12] THE FBI, PUTTING TRAINED MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT RIGHT
[00:37:16] IN OUR OFFICES.
[00:37:18] WE CREATED THE JOINT MISSION
[00:37:21] CENTER TO TURN INTELLIGENCE INTO ACTION AGAINST POLITICAL
[00:37:24] VIOLENCE AND DOMESTIC TERRORISM, FINALLY UNITING 10 AGENCIES FOR
[00:37:27] THE FIRST TIME. THAT J FC HOUSED BY THIS FBI HAS
[00:37:30] ALREADY ARRESTED MORE THAN 200
[00:37:32] INDIVIDUALS, LEADING TO 200 50 ENTICEMENTS.
[00:37:36] WE BUILT THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INFORMATION CENTER, OUR FIRST-EVER JOINT OPERATIONS
[00:37:40] CENTER THAT MODERNIZE THE FBI, SHARING RAPID INTELLIGENCE THAT
[00:37:43] USED TO TAKE HOURS, NOW LESS THAN ONE MINUTE.
[00:37:46] WE ESTABLISHED THE VIOLENT
[00:37:47] EXTREMIST FUSION CENTER TO BRING
[00:37:50] OUR COUNTERTERRORISM CHILD EXPLOITATION EXPERTS TO TARGET
[00:37:54] ONLINE PREDATORS WHO ARE PRAYING ON OUR CHILDREN. THIS FBI HAS ARRESTED 500
[00:37:58] PERCENT MORE PREDATORS ON LINE IN THIS LAST 18 MONTHS THAN THE
[00:38:01] PRIOR 18 MONTHS BEFORE THAT.
[00:38:03] THROUGH OUR 59 HOMELAND SECURITY
[00:38:05] TASK FORCES, WE HAVE THE FIRST PRESENCE OF ITS KIND ACROSS THE
[00:38:09] NATION TO BRING OUR STATE, LOCAL, FEDERAL, AND INTEL
[00:38:12] PARTNERS INTO ONE LOCATION ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TO REPRESENT EVERY SINGLE STATE.
[00:38:17] THESE ARE REAL-WORLD CHANGES.
[00:38:21] WE SAW GREAT THREATS TO OUR NATION.
[00:38:23] WE AND THIS FBI LED THE EFFORT
[00:38:25] TO DISRUPT MANY PLOTS, TO INCLUDE EXTREMISTS WHO WANTED TO
[00:38:29] KILL ELECTED OFFICIALS, CIVILIANS, AND MILITARY MEMBERS
[00:38:32] AT THE WHITE HOUSE UFC FREEDOM 250 EVENT.
[00:38:36] WE STOPPED AT. WE ARRESTED FIVE INDIVIDUALS
[00:38:39] LAST YEAR, PUNK AND A PLOT IN MICHIGAN, HE WANTED TO BLOW UP
[00:38:43] PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN FROM THREE SEPARATE STATES.
[00:38:47] DURING A SINGLE MONTH, HOLIDAY MONTH OF DECEMBER LAST YEAR,
[00:38:51] THIS FBI STOPPED FOUR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN CALIFORNIA, TEXAS,
[00:38:54] NORTH CAROLINA, AND PENNSYLVANIA. SEPARATE TERRORIST ATTACKS WERE STOPPED.
[00:39:00] JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, THIS FBI STOPPED ANOTHER ISIS INSPIRED
[00:39:04] ATTACK IN PITTSBURGH, ARRESTING AN INDIVIDUAL BEFORE HE WAS ABLE
[00:39:07] TO GO OUT AND KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN THE NAME OF ISIS.
[00:39:11] THESE ATTACKS DID NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT PARTNERS WORKING AROUND
[00:39:15] THE CLOCK, FINDING THREATS AND STOPPING THEM. IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY IS
[00:39:18] SOMETHING DEEPLY IMPORTANT TO ME. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAVE
[00:39:23] EXPANDED OUR OVERSEAS BIOMETRIC COLLECTION EFFORTS WITH FOREIGN
[00:39:26] PARTNERS TO INTERCEPT TARGETS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.
[00:39:29] MORE FACIAL RECOGNITION, MORE IRIS SCANS, MORE INFORMATION
[00:39:32] ABOUT PREDATORS AND PEOPLE AND CRIMINALS WHO WISH TO DO US HARM
[00:39:34] AND STOP THEM BEFORE THEY CAN DO THAT.
[00:39:37] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHEN USED APPROPRIATELY UNDER THE PARAMETERS OF THE LAW, WHEN I
[00:39:41] GOT TO THIS SEAT, THE FBI HAD TWO TEST USE CASES FOR
[00:39:45] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SPIRIT
[00:39:47] WE JUST HIT OUR 140TH.
[00:39:52] IT IS TO ANALYZE AND GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR PARTNERS.
[00:39:56] RECENTLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE FBI WAS MANDATED BY
[00:39:59] CONGRESSIONAL STATUTE TO HAVE A
[00:40:01] ZERO SAMPLE BACKLOG AT OUR DNA LABORATORY IN QUANTICO.
[00:40:05] OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THAT
[00:40:06] NUMBER GREW TO 148 MILLION
[00:40:09] BACKLOG, IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL STATUTE. I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE AS OF
[00:40:12] JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE HAVE
[00:40:14] ZERO DOUBT THAT BACKLOG I AND
[00:40:17] USE TECHNOLOGY, AI, AND IMPROVED EQUIPMENT TO CAPTURE THESE DNA
[00:40:21] PROFILES, PUT THEM IN THE DATABASE, AND ALLOW LAW
[00:40:24] ENFORCEMENT'S TO GET AFTER THEM IN.
[00:40:26] WE ESTABLISHED THE FIRST EVER COUNTER TRAINING CENTER IN
[00:40:31] ALABAMA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MODERN THREAT THAT THE ADVERSARY USES TO HARM OUR WAY OF LIFE IS
[00:40:35] COUNTERMANDED BY STATE AND LOCALS, NO FBI EVER BUILT A SCHOOL HOUSE FOR THAT.
[00:40:39] WE DID. WE HAVE TRAINED HUNDREDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHICH WE
[00:40:42] DEPLOYED ACROSS THE WORLD CUP TO
[00:40:45] INTERDICT 750 DRONES OVER 11
[00:40:48] MILIEUX ACROSS THE 38 DAYS. THAT IS 78 SUPER BOWLS AND 38
[00:40:52] DAYS, TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE,
[00:40:54] AND ON A MAJOR SECURITY INCIDENT.
[00:40:58] CYBER STAT, FIRST OF ITS KIND BY THE PRESIDENT, WAS ISSUED.
[00:41:00] UNDER THAT, THE FBI DID
[00:41:04] OPERATION WINTER SHIELD AND RIPTIDE FOR CYBER CRIMINALS.
[00:41:08] WE LAUNCH 13 JOINT OPERATIONS
[00:41:10] RESULTING IN 200 ARRESTS, SIX X
[00:41:13] TRADITIONS, AND MILLIONS IN FROZEN ASSETS.
[00:41:16] AND TOOK DOWN MILLIONS OF NETWORKS ON THE DARK WEB.
[00:41:19] MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IS COMING THROUGH THIS FBI.
[00:41:22] WE SAVED IT 300 MILLION DOLLARS
[00:41:26] IN TAXPAYER FUNDING BY SCUTTLING DUPLICATE OF CONTRACTS. AS I PROMISED DURING MY
[00:41:31] CONFIRMATION, THE SHIFT IS OUTSIDE OF D.C., INTO THE
[00:41:34] HEARTLAND OF AMERICA, NOT REDUCE
[00:41:36] THE FOOTPRINT BY ONE THIRD IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
[00:41:39] AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT EFFORT. IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY, AS YOU
[00:41:42] KNOW, I AM COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY. IN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS, WE
[00:41:46] SHARED NEARLY 50,000 PAGES OF DOCUMENTS WITH THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
[00:41:50] TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT
[00:41:52] IS A 350 PERCENT INCREASE FROM
[00:41:55] THE PRIOR TWO DIRECTORS COMBINED IN 11 YEARS.
[00:41:58] FOREIGN ENGAGEMENTS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THIS FBI'S MISSION. THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
[00:42:02] LEADERSHIP, THE FBI IS ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH FOREIGN COUNTERPARTS
[00:42:06] DIRECTLY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. I HAVE SINGLE-HANDEDLY LED MORE
[00:42:09] FOREIGN ENGAGEMENTS AND THE LAST 18 MONTHS THAN ANY OTHER FBI DIRECTOR.
[00:42:13] SINCE I TOOK OVER, I HAVE MADE
[00:42:15] OVER 100 CALLS TO MY FOREIGN
[00:42:22] COUNTERPARTS.
[00:42:24] THE LAST THREE AND HALF YEARS OF PREDECESSORS, THEY MAY 20.
[00:42:27] BECAUSE OF THIS ENGAGEMENT, IT DIRECTLY LEAD TO THE EXECUTION AND TRANSFER OF 86 FOREIGN
[00:42:30] TRANSFER CUSTODY'S, EXECUTED OVERSEAS.
[00:42:33] MEANING 86 VIOLENT OFFENDERS, CRIMINALS, TERRORIST, NARCO
[00:42:37] TRAFFICKERS, GETTING BIG YEARS, AND CHILDREN PREDATORS WERE
[00:42:41] BROUGHT HERE FOR PROSECUTION. AND THERE WERE X TRADITIONS OF
[00:42:44] INDIVIDUALS HOUSED OVERSEAS, CAPTURED BY THIS FBI -- THERE
[00:42:47] WERE EXTRADITIONS.
[00:42:52] THE SUBJECTS ARE LITERALLY THE WORST OF THE WORST.
[00:42:56] YOU HAVE TO PICK UP THE PHONE TO CALL YOUR PARTNERS.
[00:42:59] SOMETHING DEEPLY IMPORTANT TO ME
[00:43:04] , OPERATION STEADFAST PROMISES THE LARGEST EVER SEARCH TO AN
[00:43:07] INDIAN COUNTRY ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE ALMOST 500 FBI IN PLACE
[00:43:12] DEDICATED TO THIS MISSION ALONE. WITH SO LAUNCHED VOICE IS NOT
[00:43:17] FORGOTTEN. IF YOU ARE A MISSING PERSON, VICTIM, HAVE INFORMATION
[00:43:21] REGARDING THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE
[00:43:23] CASES, THIS FBI QUADRUPLED THE
[00:43:26] REWARD TO AT LEAST $25,000, AND IT WILL BE A CONTINUING PROGRAM.
[00:43:30] WE HAVE INVESTIGATED MORE AND OPEN MORE INDIAN COUNTRY
[00:43:34] INVESTIGATIONS TO THE LAST 18 MONTHS IN ANY FBI. WE OPEN UP THE BILLINGS,
[00:43:38] MONTANA, FIELD OFFICE TO ADD RESOURCES TO THE FIELD, FIRST
[00:43:41] TIME WE HAVE OPENED UP A NEW FIELD OFFICE IN THE FBI, ALONG
[00:43:44] WITH THE NEW FIELD OFFICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.
[00:43:48] FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS FBI HAS
[00:43:54] FULL LAW ENFORCEMENT ATTACHÉ OFFICES ACROSS ALL FIVE PARTNERSHIPS, THE MOST IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE SHARING THEIR'S.
[00:43:58] THE MEN AND WOMEN AT THIS FBI ARE DELIVERING, STOPPING
[00:44:01] TERRORIST ATTACKS, SECURING
[00:44:03] MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS, DEFENDING
[00:44:06] CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND
[00:44:08] REBUILDING THIS INSTITUTION AROUND ONE STAT, PUTTING THE MISSION FIRST.
[00:44:11] THE SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD, AND WE
[00:44:14] WILL NEVER STOP WORKING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
[00:44:18] CHAIR GRASSLEY: THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE 10 MINUTES, TIME FOR
[00:44:21] EACH MEMBER.
[00:44:25] IN APRIL, 2026, I WROTE EIGHT MAJOR INTERNET COMPANIES TO
[00:44:29] ENSURE ENOUGH DATA WAS RECEIVED
[00:44:35] TO HOLD ONLINE CHILD PREDATORS ACCOUNTABLE.
[00:44:39] MICMAC INFORMED ME LAST MONTH THAT SEVERAL COMPANIES HAD
[00:44:43] SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THEIR
[00:44:47] CHILD SAFETY REPORTING.
[00:44:47] THE FBI HAS ASSIGNED PERSONNEL
[00:44:54] TO REVIEW ONLINE REPORTS.
[00:44:57] WHAT IMPROVEMENTS CAN THESE COMPANIES MAKE SO THAT THE FBI
[00:45:00] CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY TURN THE
[00:45:04] TABLES AND KNOCKED ON PREDATORS? DIR. PATEL: THANK YOU FOR YOUR
[00:45:08] WORK. PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN IS ONE
[00:45:11] OF THE GREATEST GOALS WE HAVE.
[00:45:14] THEY ARE A LEADING PARTNER.
[00:45:16] THANKS TO YOUR OUTREACH, THESE
[00:45:19] COMPANIES, LARGE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES, BEHIND YOUR CALLS -- I CALLED THEM, AS WELL.
[00:45:23] WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS ALLOWED AS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THEIR
[00:45:27] INTELLIGENCE AND DATABASES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AND IN A
[00:45:30] SECURE FASHION, SPECIFICALLY TO
[00:45:33] MANHUNT CHILD PREDATORS AND FIND MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN.
[00:45:37] AS I STATED, WE HAVE FOUND AND
[00:45:38] LOCATED OVER 11,000 CHILDREN, UP
[00:45:42] 20-SOME PERCENT. THANK YOU FOR THAT JOLT IN THE
[00:45:44] ARM THAT WAS NEEDED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND WE WILL
[00:45:48] CONTINUE TO EXPAND THOSE ENGAGEMENTS AND WORK WITH
[00:45:51] CONGRESS ON LEGISLATION SO THIS
[00:45:54] CONTINUOUS FLOW OF DATA CAN COME IN LEGALLY AND LAWFULLY AND LAW
[00:45:57] ENFORCEMENT CAN USE IT. CHAIR GRASSLEY: SINCE THAT IS A
[00:46:00] PRIORITY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR TEAM UPDATE ME IF THERE ARE
[00:46:03] COMPANIES THAT CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO PROVIDE THE DATA
[00:46:07] NECESSARY TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN
[00:46:11] ONLINE. DIR. PATEL: I WILL. CHAIR GRASSLEY: DEPARTMENT OF
[00:46:15] HOMELAND SECURITY HAS PRODUCED TO MY OFFICE LETTERS OF
[00:46:19] RECOMMENDATION FOR TWO AFGHAN
[00:46:22] EVACUEES PLACED IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE BIDEN
[00:46:26] ADMINISTRATION. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[00:46:29] HAS CONFIRMED IN WRITING THAT THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO
[00:46:33] SIGNS THE LETTERS WAS MORGAN KILLINGTON.
[00:46:38] ACCORDING TO EMAILS, KILLINGTON
[00:46:42] IS NOT A REAL PERSON.
[00:46:45] THE AFGHAN EVACUEES CHARGED WITH SHOOTING TWO WEST VIRGINIA
[00:46:48] NATIONAL GUARDSMEN, AND THE
[00:46:52] AFGHAN EVACUEES CHARGED WITH
[00:46:53] FUNDING ISIS-K RECEIVED THOSE
[00:46:58] LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. CLEARLY, THIS IS A SIGN OF
[00:47:02] FAILED VETTING. IS THE FBI PERFORMING ONGOING
[00:47:05] REVIEWS TO ENSURE THAT KNOWN OR
[00:47:08] SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DID NOT SLIP INTO OUR COUNTRY OR
[00:47:13] OTHERWISE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM ENTRY?
[00:47:18] WHAT HAS THE FBI FOUND UP-TO-DATE?
[00:47:21] DIR. PATEL: WE ARE WORKING WITH
[00:47:23] OUR PARTNERS AT DHS ON THIS MISSION ON VETTING.
[00:47:27] WE ARE PROVIDING ALL OF OUR
[00:47:29] INTELLIGENCE THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED ON THESE INDIVIDUALS
[00:47:33] EVERY TIME WE ENCOUNTER THEM AT THE BORDER. THE NUMBERS OF KNOWN OR
[00:47:37] SUSPECTED TERRORISTS ENCOUNTERED AT THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN
[00:47:40] BORDER HAVE DROPPED, THANKS TO THE SECURITIZATION DIVISION OF
[00:47:43] THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DHS ON THE
[00:47:47] NORTHERN BORDER. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
[00:47:50] INTEL PARTNERS TO REACH BACK AND
[00:47:52] ANALYZE THE OPERATION AFTER THE DISASTROUS WITHDRAWAL FROM
[00:47:56] AFGHANISTAN AND CONTINUE TO VET THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE
[00:47:58] WE NEVER HAVE A TRAGIC TERRORIST
[00:48:01] ATTACK LIKE WE WITNESSED DURING THE HEART OF WASHINGTON, D.C., LAST YEAR.
[00:48:05] CHAIR GRASSLEY: AT LAST YEAR'S
[00:48:07] OVERSIGHT HEARING, I RAISED
[00:48:10] CONCERNS ABOUT FBI FILES BEING
[00:48:14] HIT IT BY WHAT IS CALLED
[00:48:15] PROHIBITIVE ACCESS AND
[00:48:19] RESTRICTED ACCESS CASES, LAST YEAR YOU PRODUCED RECORDS FOUND
[00:48:22] IN THESE TYPES OF CASES WHICH
[00:48:24] YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF.
[00:48:29] PLEASE UPDATE THE COMMITTEE ON THE STEPS YOU HAVE TAKEN TO
[00:48:32] ENSURE THESE TYPES OF RECORDS
[00:48:35] ARE DISCOVERABLE AND THAT RECORDS CANNOT BE HIDDEN FROM
[00:48:39] CONGRESS, FROM THE COURTS, OR
[00:48:41] FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDER
[00:48:44] FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
[00:48:46] DIR. PATEL: PROHIBITIVE CASES
[00:48:49] WERE CREATED FOR THAT PURPOSE,
[00:48:52] TO EVADE TRANSPARENCY AND PROMULGATION OF FBI RECORDS THAT
[00:48:54] SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND CONSTITUTIONAL OVERSIGHT.
[00:48:58] WE SIMPLY DID THE FOLLOWING. I ELIMINATED PROHIBITIVE CASES.
[00:49:02] THERE ARE NO MORE AT THE FBI.
[00:49:04] BECAUSE WE WORK TOGETHER NOT
[00:49:07] ONLY WITH INTERAGENCY PARTNERS BUT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
[00:49:10] TO INFORM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, WHEN THE LAW ALLOWS IT, TO
[00:49:14] PRODUCE RECORD SO YOU CAN CONDUCT CONSTITUTIONAL
[00:49:18] OVERSIGHT. PROHIBITIVE CASES NO LONGER EXISTS.
[00:49:21] CLASSIFIED PROHIBITIVE, THAT LABEL HAS BEEN REMOVED IN THAT
[00:49:25] DEPARTMENT PATIENT ON BANDIT -- DISBANDED.
[00:49:27] AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE
[00:49:30] RECORDS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE -- THAT USED TO BE CLASSIFIED TO
[00:49:34] KEEP THINGS SECRET. CHAIR GRASSLEY: I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW ROUND RIVER RECORDS
[00:49:39] RESTORED, MANAGED, AND CLASSIFIED.
[00:49:43] ROUND RIVER WAS THE OPERATION THAT SHUT DOWN CERTAIN
[00:49:46] GOVERNMENT SOURCES REGARDING THE
[00:49:48] BIDEN FAMILY, WITH APPARENTLY NO JUSTIFICATION.
[00:49:51] FOR EXAMPLE, SOME RECORDS INCLUDED BANNER MARKINGS WITH
[00:49:55] ROUND RIVER AS A CLASSIFICATION
[00:49:59] CODE, THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL, IF
[00:50:04] NOT OUTRIGHT IMPROPER.
[00:50:07] THAT THIS COULD HAVE A ROUND RIVER CLASSIFICATION.
[00:50:10] WHAT STEPS HAVE YOU TAKEN TO INVESTIGATE ANY IMPROPER
[00:50:15] CLASSIFICATION OF ROUND RIVER
[00:50:17] RECORDS AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE? DIR. PATEL: THANKS TO YOUR
[00:50:21] REFERRAL AND SHEDDING LIGHT ON THIS, WE LOOKED AT THE
[00:50:24] CLASSIFICATION PROCESSES
[00:50:25] SURROUNDING THIS COMPARTMENT
[00:50:29] CALLED ROUND RIVER. WE DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO
[00:50:34] FBI POLICY TO SUBSTANTIATE SUCH A CLASSIFICATION AND THAT WAS BASICALLY MADE UP.
[00:50:38] NOW WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF, WE ARE COMMITTED TO
[00:50:41] CONTINUING TO PRODUCE, ON TOP OF THE NEARLY 2000 PAGES OF
[00:50:44] DOCUMENTS ON ROUND RIVER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTS AROUND THAT.
[00:50:49] AND WE ARE CONDUCTING AN
[00:50:50] INTERNAL INVESTIGATION ON THE
[00:50:53] INDIVIDUALS WHO LAUNCHED AND CODIFIED THIS FALSE AND FAKE
[00:50:58] COMPARTMENT. CHAIR GRASSLEY: OK.
[00:50:59] ACCORDING TO AN AUGUST 2026
[00:51:03] JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT, FBI OFFICIALS
[00:51:08] DURING RAY'S TENURE RETALIATED
[00:51:12] AGAINST AN FBI EMPLOYEE NAMED JACOB MERCER.
[00:51:16] THESE FBI OFFICIALS ARE STILL EMPLOYED.
[00:51:27] >> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[00:51:30] CHAIR GRASSLEY: HOLD RETAIL LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR
[00:51:33] VIOLATION OF LAW, AND IF NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, WILL YOU COMMIT
[00:51:36] TO UPDATING THE COMMITTEE ON
[00:51:40] ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES? DIR. PATEL: THAT IS IN THE
[00:51:44] MIDDLE OF AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. AS SOON AS I AM ABLE TO UPDATE
[00:51:47] THE COMMITTEE, I WILL DO SO. CHAIR GRASSLEY: SO YOU CANNOT
[00:51:51] COMMENT FURTHER? DIR. PATEL: NOT AT THIS TIME, SIR.
[00:51:59] CHAIR GRASSLEY: THE SAFER SKIES ACT GRANTED LONG-OVERDUE
[00:52:03] AUTHORITY TO STATE AND LOCAL LAW
[00:52:04] ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO PROTECT
[00:52:08] THEIR COMMUNITIES FROM MALICIOUS DRONES.
[00:52:10] AS OF JULY 1, THE FBI HAD
[00:52:14] CERTIFIED 46 ELIGIBLE AGENCIES
[00:52:18] TO CONDUCT DRONE MITIGATION,
[00:52:22] TRAINING A MAXIMUM OF 16 OFFICERS PER MONTH.
[00:52:28] WE CANNOT GET OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY'S CERTIFIED
[00:52:29] TO USE THESE AUTHORITIES FAST
[00:52:33] ENOUGH. WHAT IS THE FBI DOING TO EXPAND
[00:52:36] AND EXPEDITE THE COUNTER DRONE
[00:52:41] TRAINING CAPACITY FOR ELIGIBLE STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES?
[00:52:45] DIR. PATEL: THE STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS ARE CRITICAL TO COMBAT
[00:52:48] THE COUNTER OF DRONE ISSUES, BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDED
[00:52:52] NO TRAINING OR ACCESS AT ANY LEVEL. SO THE FBI WILL HAVE THE
[00:52:57] FIRST-EVER SCHOOL IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.
[00:53:00] WE HAVE TRAINED OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN A
[00:53:04] TWO-WEEK CLASSICAL'S CONTINUOUSLY.
[00:53:06] WE ONLY POSITED FOR THE WORLD CUP SO WE COULD HAVE ALL EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
[00:53:10] WE HAVE ASKED FOR CONGRESS TO INCREASE FUNDING SO WE CAN
[00:53:14] TRIPLE THE SIZE OF THAT SCHOOL, ALLOWING MORE STATE AND LOCAL
[00:53:17] OFFICERS TO WORK WITH US AND DEPLOY THEM LIKE WE DID DURING
[00:53:20] THE WORLD CUP ON THE GROUND
[00:53:22] INTERCEPT TEAMS ON 11 SEPARATE
[00:53:25] VENUES AND TAKE DONE 700 50 DRONES.
[00:53:28] WE NEED MORE EQUIPMENT, TECH, MORE BODIES TRAINED.
[00:53:32] CHAIR GRASSLEY: FOR ALMOST A
[00:53:34] DECADE, EXPOSED POLITICAL WEAPONIZATION DURING CROSSFIRE
[00:53:39] HURRICANE, AND YOU HAVE, AS
[00:53:43] WILL, PRESIDENT ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER IN EACH OF HIS
[00:53:48] ADMINISTRATION MANDATING
[00:53:52] DECLASSIFICATION OF CROSSFIRE HURRICANE RECORDS.
[00:53:55] PLEASE DESCRIBE THE STEPS YOU HAVE TAKEN TO ENSURE FULL
[00:53:59] DECLASSIFICATION AND WHETHER
[00:54:01] OTHER AGENCIES, LIKE THE CIA,
[00:54:05] HAVE CREATED A ROBOT --
[00:54:08] ROADBLOCKS FOR THIS DECLASSIFICATION.
[00:54:10] THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION.
[00:54:13] DIR. PATEL: CROSSFIRE HURRICANE DECLASSIFICATION AT THE FBI, AT
[00:54:16] LEAST WHAT IS UNDER MY CONTROL, HAS BEEN FULLY DECLASSIFIED.
[00:54:19] THERE IS SOME INFORMATION IN THERE THAT I DO NOT CONTROL
[00:54:23] BECAUSE WE DO NOT OWN IT. BUT WE HAVE VIGOROUSLY WORKED
[00:54:28] WITH INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE PARTNERS TO DECLASSIFY AND HAVE
[00:54:31] PRODUCED THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF CROSSFIRE DOCUMENTATION TO CONGRESS EVER.
[00:54:34] AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
[00:54:40] SEN. DURBIN: MR. PATEL, ONE YEAR AGO, MY HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS
[00:54:44] WAS EXPERIENCING THE BEGINNING OF A WORTHLESS, RECKLESS, DEADLY
[00:54:49] CAMPAIGN ORCHESTRATED BY THIS
[00:54:52] ADMINISTRATION KNOWN AS MIDWAY BLITZ.
[00:54:55] MASKED FEDERAL AGENTS ARMED WITH
[00:54:57] MILITARY GRADE WEAPONS AND UNMARKED VEHICLES DESCENDED ON
[00:55:01] CHICAGO AND OTHER COMMUNITIES,
[00:55:02] BASHING AND CAR WINDOWS, INDISCRIMINATELY ROUNDING UP
[00:55:07] PEOPLE, DEPLOYING CHEMICAL AGENTS, AND SHOOTING INNOCENT
[00:55:11] PEOPLE. A BORDER PATROL AGENT SHOT U.S.
[00:55:13] CITIZEN IN CHICAGO NATIVE
[00:55:18] MIRAMAR MARTINEZ FIVE TIMES AFTER SIDE SWIPING HER VEHICLE.
[00:55:22] SHE SURVIVED. AFTER MS. MARTINEZ WAS SHOT, DHS
[00:55:26] BRANDED HER AS A DOMESTIC TERRORIST.
[00:55:30] A BORDER PATROL AGENT BRECHT ABOUT SHOOTING HER.
[00:55:32] AND FBI AGENT FALSELY CLAIMED SHE CHASED A BORDER PATROL AGENT
[00:55:36] BEFORE SHE WAS SHOT.
[00:55:37] DR. PATEL, AFTER THE SHOOTING, YOU TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND
[00:55:41] POSTED A VIDEO OF A DIFFERENT COLLISION THAT YOU SENT
[00:55:45] SUPPORTED THE DHS.
[00:55:48] YOU SAID, ATTACKED OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THIS FBI WILL
[00:55:52] FIND YOU AND BRING YOU TO JUSTICE.
[00:55:56] DHS AND FBI HAVE SINCE REFUSED
[00:55:59] TO CORRECT THE RECORD, NO CHARGES FILED AGAINST MS.
[00:56:02] MARTINEZ WHO WAS SHOT FIVE TIMES BY THESE AGENTS.
[00:56:06] IN ANOTHER EVENT, AN ICE AGENT
[00:56:08] SHOT AND KILLED SEVERITY OF THE EGG IS GONZALES.
[00:56:11] SHORTLY AFTER HE DROPPED HIS CHILDREN OFF AT SCHOOL AND
[00:56:15] DAYCARE. PUBLICLY RELEASE VIDEO FOOTAGE
[00:56:18] IN THE STATEMENT CONTRACTED DHS CLAIMS OF THE ICE AGENT WHO SHOT
[00:56:22] HIM WAS DIRECT A SIGNIFICANT
[00:56:26] DISTANCE AND FEARED FOR HIS LIFE.
[00:56:28] IN THE PAST, THE FBI WOULD HAVE SWIFTLY RESPONDED TO THESE
[00:56:32] SHOOTINGS, GATHERING EVIDENCE IN WORKING WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
[00:56:36] TO CONDUCT A CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION. BUT NOT NOW.
[00:56:40] THIS MORNING ON YOUR WEBSITE OF
[00:56:44] THE FBI, IS THE FOLLOWING. THE FBI IS A PRIMARY FEDERAL
[00:56:48] AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE
[00:56:52] VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS STATUTES.
[00:56:55] DIRECTOR PATEL, WHY HAS THE FBI
[00:56:58] REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE EITHER OF THESE SHOOTINGS?
[00:57:00] DIR. PATEL: WE HAVE NOT REFUSED
[00:57:04] TO INVESTIGATE EITHER OF THESE SHOOTINGS. THESE INVESTIGATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ONGOING.
[00:57:08] SO I AM UNABLE TO COMMENT ON THE NATURE OF THEM.
[00:57:11] YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY AGENCY INVOLVED BECAUSE IT IS MULTIPLE
[00:57:15] FEDERAL AGENCIES. WE HAVE TO WORK WITH FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL PARTNERS TO COLLECT
[00:57:18] THE INFORMATION AND ALLOW THE
[00:57:20] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO MAKE DECISIONS APPROPRIATELY.
[00:57:23] SEN. DURBIN: DO YOU STILL STAND BEHIND THE FALSE STATEMENTS YOU
[00:57:27] MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER MS.
[00:57:30] MARTINEZ WAS SHOT? DIR. PATEL: THOSE FALSE STATEMENTS, ACCORDING TO YOU, ARE NOT FALSE STATEMENTS.
[00:57:34] THEY WERE CLIPPED TOGETHER TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I LIKE, AND I DIDN'T.
[00:57:38] SEN. DURBIN: SHE HAS NEVER BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME AFTER BEING
[00:57:41] SHOT FIVE TIMES AND TURNING OVER
[00:57:43] THE VIDEO FOR YOUR REVIEW AS WELL AS OTHER AGENCIES.
[00:57:49] DIR. PATEL: YOU WANT HER TO BE CHARGE FOR BEING SHOT?
[00:57:52] THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID. SEN. DURBIN: YOU SAID, ATTACK
[00:57:56] OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE FBI WILL FIND YOU AND BRING YOU TO JUSTICE.
[00:57:59] WILL YOU BRING HER TO JUSTICE BY SHOOTING HER FIVE TIMES?
[00:58:02] DIR. PATEL: WE DID NOT SHOOT HER.
[00:58:06] SEN. DURBIN: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID. HE REFUSED TO SEE IF THERE ARE
[00:58:10] FEDERAL RIGHTS STATUTES.
[00:58:13] IT IS NOT AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR GOOD CONDUCT, AND YOU KNOW THAT.
[00:58:17] LET ME ASK A SEPARATE QUESTION.
[00:58:20] ACCORDING TO A MEMO ISSUED THIS JUNE, THE FBI HAS LOWERED ITS
[00:58:23] HIRING STANDARDS BY DROPPING
[00:58:26] AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION FOR
[00:58:28] APPLICANTS WHO HAVE STOLEN FROM
[00:58:30] PRIOR EMPLOYEE'S, PAID FOR SEX,
[00:58:33] OR ENGAGED IN BEASTIE ALATEEN.
[00:58:35] IN JULY, YOU CLAIM FBI IS LOSING
[00:58:39] TOO MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THE RIGORS OF REQUIREMENTS FROM
[00:58:43] YESTERYEAR. DIRECTOR PATEL, DO YOU BELIEVE THOSE OF THE PREVIOUSLY STOLEN
[00:58:48] EMPLOYERS, SOLICITED SEX, OR
[00:58:50] ENGAGED IN BEASTIE REALITY --
[00:58:56] BESTIALITY ARE QUALIFIED?
[00:59:00] DIR. PATEL: THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP SO WE COULD GET TO THE TRUTH. WE DID NOT WANT TO PUNISH
[00:59:04] VICTIMS OF BEASTILITY, VICTIMS
[00:59:10] WHO ARE TRAFFICKED, IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THESE AWFUL, HEINOUS
[00:59:14] ACT. THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME STANDARDS AND APPLICATION PROCESS.
[00:59:18] ON YOUR OTHER NOTE REGARDING
[00:59:20] STANDARDS, THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER.
[00:59:23] WE HAVE JUST HIRED ON 307 FORMER
[00:59:29] MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THOSE WITH ADVANCED
[00:59:33] DEGREES, 400 48 INDIVIDUALS FLUENT IN MULTIPLE FOREIGN LANGUAGES.
[00:59:37] WE HAVE CHANGED THE STANDARDS AND ARE NOT GOING TO TARGET
[00:59:39] VICTIMS AND PREVENT THEM FROM SERVING IN A CAPACITY TO SERVE
[00:59:43] THIS COUNTRY. SEN. DURBIN: LISTEN TO THIS.
[00:59:53] NO LONGER PROTECTING THOSE
[00:59:55] CHARGED WITH BEASTIALITY, THE
[01:00:00] PROTECTING THE VICTIMS. FLIPPED IT AROUND.
[01:00:09] DIR. PATEL: APPLICANTS WHO HAVE
[01:00:12] ENGAGED IN BEASTIALITY MAINSTAY
[01:00:25] I ELIMINATED THE BUREAUCRACY.
[01:00:35] CHAIR GRASSLEY: DO YOU BELIEVE
[01:00:37] THE FILES CONTAIN NO ADDITIONAL
[01:00:41] EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING? DIR. PATEL: THE EPSTEIN FILES,
[01:00:45] THREE POINT 5 MILLION PAGES OF
[01:00:45] BEEN RELEASED BY THIS
[01:00:50] ADMINISTRATIONR.
[01:00:51] THISY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEONE
[01:00:56] FORWARD AND WE WILL ALWAYS INVESTIGATE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING