Democrats begin congressional probe of Kash Patel's use of FBI Gulfstream jet
Source: CBS News
Updated on: December 1, 2025 / 4:07 PM EST
FBI Director Kash Patel's travel to watch his girlfriend sing at a Pennsylvania sporting event is now being investigated by the top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. Citing a series of recent media reports, the committee Democrats allege Patel has used the FBI's Gulfstream passenger jet for a series of recent flights for a "date night" in Tennessee and an outing with friends in Texas.
The panel's Democrats have asked Patel to respond with travel records, passenger information and any communication with passengers about the recent flights. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Maryland Democrat who is the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and another committee member, Democratic Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California, wrote to the FBI to ask about Patel's Oct. 25 flight to Pennsylvania.
"You flew there because your girlfriend was performing at a wrestling match on the campus of Pennsylvania State University," the Democrats wrote in the letter. "After attending her performance, you used the government's jet to fly with her home to Nashville the following day. Your 'date night' had no apparent connections to your official duties."
The inquiry also questioned a trip to Texas that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democrats-probe-fbi-director-kash-patel-fbi-gulfstream-jet/
Link to House Committee on the Judiciary Democrats' PRESS RELEASE - Ranking Member Raskin, Rep. Kamlager-Dove Demand FBI Director Kash Patel Reimburse Taxpayers, Produce Records After Using Government Jet for Personal Flights, Lavish Vacations, and Romantic Date Nights
Link to LETTER (inquiry) (PDF) - https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2025-12-01-raskin-kamlager-dove-to-patel-fbi-re-plane.pdf
flvegan
(65,558 posts)Another stern letter? Consternation on social media?
Yawn. They keep doing this because there are no consequences. They're like a group of toddlers and congress is gentle parenting them.
BumRushDaShow
(164,126 posts)that can be used in court in the future. It doesn't just disappear into the ether.
When Democrats regain control of the chamber, they will have the Committee Chairs and subpoena power.
Civics 101 (I know it is frustrating but this is an "elections have consequences" situation that we have to live and work through until the next mid-term).
C Moon
(13,372 posts)BumRushDaShow
(164,126 posts)which is why some will do anything they can to achieve that ability. To them - "money is power".
popsdenver
(1,239 posts)that there is any doubt to the fact that the Uber Rich, top 1%, and Republican Party have been aiming for a new
GILDED AGE, complete with a new set of ROBBER BARRONS, (with many hiding behind the smoke and mirrors), and to take control of ALL the money/power, and to make all the rest of the lower 99% serfs and peasants.......
Over the past 45+ years, I have watched them effectively chip away at not only laws, but getting rid of, or limiting power of Regulatory Agencies put in place by FDR.......The Republicans, starting with Reagan, (actually HWBush's CABAL), make no pretense of their loathing of every single thing that FDR put in place to remove the Gilded Age Economy, and give the country back to the 99%...........
This new set of RepubliCONs have been organizing, orchestrating, and executing it since 1980......All to create a "Check Mate" in the future, which we are watching un-fold these past 9+ years......
I can hardly wait until they change the name of the United States of America, like they have re-named Gulf of America, the Department of Defense to Department of WAR, etc etc
I suspect the RepubliCONs will call it....The United Corporations of America, or The Fascist Corporations of America
BumRushDaShow
(164,126 posts)and one was highlighted by the brilliant and then-25 year old actor, director, writer, and producer Orson Welles -
(purportedly based on the life of William Randolph Hearst - newspaper "baron", who was pissed as hell when this first came out back in 1941
popsdenver
(1,239 posts)I really try to correct my spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but sometimes my best efforts aren't quite good enough!
LOL
BumRushDaShow
(164,126 posts)but to reference the many "barons" - as in "railroad barons", "media barons", "copper barons" (the latter that actually ended up forcing a change to the Constitution to require an ELECTION for Senators vs a state selecting them) -
The absent legacy of Montanas most successful Copper King
Amendment XVII
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxvii
IOW "barons" and "barons".
Roy Rolling
(7,366 posts)Date night with Manson-eyed Kash Money Patel.
Scary.
dugog55
(358 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(173,407 posts)Grins
(9,171 posts)My guess