Democratic lawmakers angered by FBI Director Kash Patel's reported use of taxpayer money for private jets and other travel perks have gained an unexpected ally: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, confirmed Thursday they had launched an investigation into Patel's use of public resources.
Grassley's Letter Raises Concerns
The pair said in a press release they had obtained a May 5 letter from Grassley to Patel, in which Grassley raised serious concerns about the FBI director's use of government aircraft, purchase of a fleet of luxury BMW vehicles, and whether he had reimbursed taxpayers for personal travel. An MSNBC report published Thursday contains excerpts from Grassley's letter. “For each trip where you used an FBI aircraft for personal travel, have you reimbursed the FBI as required by law? If yes, please provide the records,” Grassley wrote. He also urged Patel to “explain why you decided to purchase BMW vehicles instead of Chevy Suburbans.”
Democrats Cite VIP Snorkel and Other Perks
In their own letter to Patel dated July 8, Durbin and Raskin thanked Grassley for raising these concerns, which mirror those raised repeatedly by Democrats. They referenced a well-documented instance in which Patel participated in a “VIP snorkel” excursion while visiting Hawaii's Pearl Harbor last year, a leisure activity rather than a professional obligation. “Your VIP snorkeling experience in Hawaii was not an isolated incident,” they wrote. “You frequently demand special perks on ‘official’ trips around the globe, such as a taxpayer-funded helicopter tour during your multi-country jaunt across East Asia and other recreational activities like jet skiing.” The lawmakers added that Patel's “jet-setting and lack of justification for these trips are ‘out of control,’” noting that a new FBI attaché in Wellington, New Zealand, may have been “opened in part to justify a sightseeing trip you took there.” “The American people deserve an FBI Director focused on keeping us all safe rather than jet-setting to check off personal bucket list items,” they wrote.
FBI Responds with Infographic
The FBI responded to the letter Thursday by sharing an infographic on X that detailed Patel's “personal travel and cost savings,” claiming he has taken fewer trips compared to former FBI Directors Christopher Wray and James Comey. “DESPITE what the lying media wants you to believe. This FBI is more efficient and effective in every way,” the post read. “We are just getting started.”
Previous Scrutiny and Lawsuits
Patel has faced a flurry of scrutiny in recent months following an April report by The Atlantic detailing allegations of his “excessive drinking and unexplained absences.” He responded by filing a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the outlet. He has also been criticized over reports that he arranged for his girlfriend, musician Alexis Wilkins, to be escorted in her travels by SWAT team members to shield her from potential threats. After The New York Times published a report on Wilkins' security detail in February, the FBI opened an investigation into the Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson to determine whether her “aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking.”
