Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has asked FBI Director Kash Patel to defend his use of FBI aircraft and purchase of BMWs in a letter obtained by CNN, an indication that the powerful Republican chairman is conducting his own oversight of Patel’s controversial spending of taxpayer dollars.
In a May 5 letter, Grassley asks Patel to list each flight he took on an FBI aircraft, share their cost, and whether the flights were for personal or official purposes. If a flight was for a personal reason, Grassley asks Patel if he has reimbursed the government. The Republican chairman also presses Patel to provide a cost analysis breakdown of the BMW purchases compared to a similar Chevy suburban and outline the fuel and storage comparisons.
The FBI director has stirred controversy, particularly after a video of him chugging beer in the Team USA men’s hockey team locker room went viral after the Olympics gold-medal game in February – raising questions about Patel’s use of FBI resources for what appeared to be a fan’s personal trip. The FBI has maintained that Patel was in Milan in an official capacity and held six public events and two classified events, including meetings related to the Olympic security apparatus.
