'No credible info' Epstein trafficked victims to others: FBI boss

[ad_1] FBI Director Kash Patel advised a U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday there was no credible info that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked girls and underage women to anybody however himself, looking for to defuse criticism of the Trump administration's transfer to finish its evaluate of the case.

Patel's disclosure concerning the late financier and convicted intercourse offender got here as he angrily pushed again on questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee about his dealing with of the investigation into the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the firings of veteran officers who've claimed they have been eliminated for political causes.

Patel advised senators the FBI's investigative recordsdata on Epstein have been restricted as a result of a U.S. legal professional in Florida improperly narrowed the scope of an investigation into Epstein 20 years in the past.

The Justice Division's July choice to not launch further materials enraged a lot of U.S. President Donald Trump's hardline supporters, who anticipated his administration to disclose connections between Epstein, who died by suicide whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking fees, and different rich and highly effective folks.

"We have now launched all credible info," Patel stated.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Photographers take pictures of a man in a suit as he testifies before a panel. The gallery in the background is full." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7635667.1758062563!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/usa-trump-justice-patel.JPG?im=Resize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7635667.1758062563!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/usa-trump-justice-patel.JPG?im=Resize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7635667.1758062563!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/usa-trump-justice-patel.JPG?im=Resize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7635667.1758062563!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/usa-trump-justice-patel.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Patel throughout his testimony on Tuesday. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Patel testified as critics, together with some Trump allies, have questioned his management of probably the most distinguished U.S. legislation enforcement company. Patel provided a broad defence of his tenure, touting what he stated was a rise in FBI arrests for violent crime and seizures of unlawful weapons.

"I discover it disgusting anybody who jettisons our 31 years of mixed expertise that's now on the helm of the FBI," Patel stated referring to himself and Dan Bongino, a U.S. Secret Service agent turned podcaster now serving as FBI deputy director. "I am not going wherever."

Patel drew scrutiny from present and former U.S. officers after inaccurately posting on social media on Wednesday that the individual chargeable for the taking pictures of Kirk, an necessary chief of the younger conservative motion, was in custody. The FBI later clarified that at that time two folks had been questioned and launched.

The precise suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was not arrested till Thursday night time. The preliminary publish sparked confusion at a second of hovering political tensions within the U.S.

"Mr. Patel was so anxious to take credit score for locating Mr. Kirk's murderer that he violated one of many fundamentals of efficient legislation enforcement at a crucial stage of an investigation," Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the highest Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee stated at first of the listening to. "Director Patel has already inflicted untold injury on the FBI, placing our nationwide safety and public security in danger."

WATCH | Trump reacted to launch of recordsdata from Epstein investigation: U.S. Home Committee releases extra recordsdata from Epstein intercourse trafficking investigation

U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to the discharge of recordsdata from the Justice Division on the intercourse trafficking investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. It's unclear whether or not the recordsdata include any new info. Trump publicly defended Patel's dealing with of the probe.

Patel has pushed to align the FBI, which has historically sought to insulate its investigations from political affect, extra carefully with Trump and his agenda. The FBI throughout Trump's second time period has eliminated scores of senior officers, together with these with deep expertise countering nationwide safety threats.

Fired brokers converse out Two not too long ago fired brokers launched statements forward of the listening to condemning their removals.

Former Supervisory Particular Agent Christopher Meyer, who was fired after he stated he was incorrectly linked with the probe into Trump's mishandling of labeled paperwork, stated in a press release that his loyalty stays with the U.S. Structure and "to not any political get together, preferrred or narrative."

"The ideas of fact, equity and due course of are foundational to this nice nation, and to the work of the FBI," Meyer stated.

Three different former senior FBI officers, together with a former appearing director, sued final week claiming they have been fired for being insufficiently loyal to Trump. The lawsuit alleges that Patel stated privately that his job trusted expelling officers who had been concerned in investigations into Trump, who confronted two now-dismissed federal legal instances throughout his years out of workplace.