EFTA00163455¶
EFTA00163456¶
EFTA00163457¶
Continued Reporting: Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino Draw Scrutiny From Previous Supporters¶
The Hill (05/21, Samuels) reported that Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino sat for a joint interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” According to the article, FBI leadership is facing scrutiny from the MAGA world due to their past statements and the reality of running a law enforcement agency. During the interview, Director Patel spoke about how his predecessors “intentionally failed the American public” and pledged that declassifying documents related to the investigation into his 2016 campaign’s potential ties to Russia would help “restore the trust that was lost to the American public when it comes to the FBI.” The article added that Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino plainly stated that notorious financier Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in prison. “I was asked about some of the details surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case. I have reviewed the case. Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. There’s no evidence in the case file indicating otherwise,” Deputy Director Bongino posted on the social platform X after the interview. “I’m not asking you to believe me, or not. I’m telling you what exists and what doesn’t. If new evidence surfaces, I’m happy to reevaluate.” The article noted that the FBI has racked up some notable wins in Director Patel’s early months at the helm. “You’re about to see a wave of transparency,” Director Patel told Bartiromo. “What do you mean?” Bartiromo asked. “Just give us about a week or two,” he responded.¶
EFTA00163458¶
EFTA00163459¶
EFTA00163460¶
EFTA00163461¶
EFTA00163462¶
EFTA00163463¶
EFTA00163464¶
EFTA00163465¶
EFTA00163466¶
EFTA00163467¶
EFTA00163468¶
EFTA00163469¶
EFTA00163470¶