The FBI director has shouted at a Democratic representative over questions about Jeffrey Epstein – the second day in a row he has clashed with members of Congress during a hearing.
A day after facing the Senate for his first oversight meeting, Kash Patel attended the House Judiciary Committee’s oversight hearing on the FBI with representatives from both parties.
While Tuesday’s hearing ranged in subjects, Democratic representatives repeatedly asked Mr Patel about the case involving Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday.
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Representative Jamie Raskin, from Maryland, questioned the US intelligence director while displaying a birthday card, allegedly from Donald Trump, to the deceased paedophile financier.
The US president has denied any impropriety involving Epstein, whom he once counted as a friend.
He filed lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal in July, and against the New York Times earlier this week, over their reporting on his ties to Epstein.
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Kentucky representative Thomas Massie, a Republican who has been trying to force the release of Epstein-related files, also pressured Mr Patel on his comments to the Senate that there is no “credible information” that Epstein trafficked victims to anyone but himself.
Shouting again broke out when Democrat Pramila Jayapal questioned Mr Patel over whether he believes Epstein’s victims are credible.
The representative from Washington asked the FBI director whether “the victims of the Jeffrey Epstein horrific trafficking ring, are they credible?” – which he sidestepped and said he would welcome new information on the case.
Ms Jayapal then accused Mr Patel of not answering, to which he replied: “I have. You just don’t like the answer.”
“We have routinely asked for people to come forward with more evidence, and we will look at it,” he said.
After a terse exchange, Ms Jayapal asked Mr Patel if he’d meet with the victims, and yelled: “Are you going to continue to cover up for the rich and powerful men, including those that might be on this committee?”
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During Tuesday’s hearing, the FBI director clashed with Democrat Cory Booker over accusations he fired FBI agents out of retribution for political investigations.
He then called senator Adam Schiff – who also asked about Epstein – “the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate”.
Mr Patel, a former lawyer who has been accused of spreading conspiracy theories, was controversially nominated to be the FBI director by Mr Trump last year.
He was narrowly confirmed by the Senate in a 51-49 vote in February. Two Republicans voted against his nomination.
