00:00Now, I know that there's a lot of talk about Epstein, and I'm here to testify that the original sin in the Epstein case was the way it was initially brought by Mr. Acosta back in 2006.
00:11The original case involved a very limited search warrant or set of search warrants and didn't take as much investigatory material it should have seized.
00:18If I were the FBI director then, it wouldn't have happened.
00:21You've seen most of the files. Who, if anyone, did Epstein traffic these young women to besides himself?
00:31Himself. There is no credible information. None. If there were, I would bring the case yesterday that he trafficked to other individuals.
00:40And the information we have, again, is limited.
00:42So the answer is no one?
00:44For the information that we have.
00:47In the files?
00:48In the case file.
00:49Okay. Now, President Trump has deferred to the FBI and the Department of Justice with respect to the Epstein records.
00:59He says it is your call about releasing them.
01:02And I understand that the department and the agency have decided to release them in cooperation with the House committee.
01:12Is that correct?
01:13Yes, sir.
01:14So you're releasing them a little bit at a time. Is that correct?
01:18We're releasing as much as we can, but we are limited by three different court orders, and the department went back to each of those judges to waive those court orders or have them lifted, and each of those judges declined.
01:33Will you release all of them, or at least as many as you can?
01:36We will release everything. We are legally permitted to do so.
01:40We are continuing to work with the House on the subpoena request.
01:43We have substantially required with it, complied with it, but we will continue to release whatever we are legally permitted to do so.
01:51Okay.
01:51I strongly encourage you to do that, Cash.
01:54I don't, this issue is not going to go away.
01:56And I think the central question for the American people is this.
02:03They know that Epstein trafficked young women for sex to himself.
02:12They want to know who, if anyone else, he trafficked these young women to.
02:19And that's a very fair question.
02:20I want to know that answer.
02:22And I think you're going to have to do more to satisfy the American people's understandable curiosity in that regard.
02:33Mr. Chairman, may I just respond to that?
02:36I agree, Senator.
02:37And what we have done, and just to remind folks, the Epstein case files existed in the two prior administrations,
02:46in the Obama administration and the Biden administration, and they didn't release anything.
02:50And there was President Trump in the first administration that renewed charges against Mr. Epstein.
02:56Now, I am not saying that others were not trafficked and others were not involved.
03:01What I am telling you is that based on the information we have,
03:04and we have continuously and publicly asked for the public to come forward with more information.
03:09If there is, we'll look at it.
03:10In Minnesota, only two months ago, a madman took the life of my friends, Melissa and Mark Hortman,
03:17shot Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, combined 17 times.
03:22And evidence indicates that he would have killed a lot more if law enforcement hadn't intervened.
03:28Just last month in my state, we were again shook to the core when little kids were shot down
03:33through stained glass windows in Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.
03:39So my first question is on the assault weapon ban.
03:42Do you think that would be helpful in reducing gun deaths?
03:46Minnesota has suffered untold tragedy in these last few months.
03:51And whatever creativity we can use to eliminate even just one shooting, one horrific death,
03:59I am in favor of engaging with Congress fully to do.
04:02I don't have the answers.
04:03I don't know what will eliminate it in its entirety.
04:06But I'm willing to engage and explore new ways with you, Senator.
04:09I'm not going to mince words.
04:10You lied to us.
04:11In the short time that you've been FBI director, you've presided over a rash of retaliatory firing.
04:20Three FBI agents have recently sued you.
04:25They are FBI agents with 60 years between them of distinguished service, rescuing hostages, saving kids from predators, dismantling drug cartels.
04:39And their allegations, their civil allegations, are a searing indictment of your tenure as FBI director.
04:51The only way people get terminated at the FBI is if they fail to meet the muster of the job and their duties.
04:56And that is where I will leave it.
04:57And you accusing me of lying is something I don't take lightly, but I'm not going to get into a tit-for-tat with you.
05:03Well, let me just ask you to answer my question.
05:05Has anyone from the White House contacted you about personnel decisions?
05:12Generally speaking, we always discuss with the White House OMB during the budget process how many personnel we need, who we need where.
05:19Your answer is yes.
05:21For budgetary purposes and re-elect.
05:23Have you been directed to fire people, agents, because they participated in investigations of the president?
05:30We saw the flood of hit pieces, the most powerful media outlets in the nation, dishonestly attacking and villainizing Charlie for the most vicious possible terms.
05:40How can you ask us to unite under that?
05:44There can be no unity between good and evil.
05:47Well, somebody has to win this thing.
05:51And as a country, we have to absolutely reject it.
05:55And don't tell me it's both sides.
05:58In the words of an ex-FBI official, you are overseeing, and I quote, generational destruction of the nation's premier law enforcement agency.
06:08Mr. Patel, in just eight months, you have assaulted the institutional integrity of the FBI.
06:12But I know FBI field agents.
06:14I've worked with them in Newark.
06:16No matter how truly bad you are, you can't undermine the legacy of agents who fight every day to keep us safe.
06:24But you can tarnish the integrity of the agency and undermine the agency's capacity.
06:29I believe you're failing as a leader.
06:32I don't think you're fit to be in the bureau.
06:33But here's the thing, Mr. Patel.
06:36I think you're not going to be around long.
06:39I think this might be your last oversight hearing.
06:41Because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution of the United States of America,
06:47Donald Trump has shown us in his first term and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you.
06:54He will cut you loose.
06:56This may be the last time I have a hearing with you because I don't think you're long for your job.
07:01But I'm going to tell you this.
07:03I pray for you.
07:04I pray for you.
07:06That you can step up and defend your oath, defend the Constitution, and do a much better job of defending this country.
07:14Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
07:15Do you want to say anything?
07:17Yes, sir.
07:19That rant of false information does not bring this country together.
07:26If you want to work on bringing this country, it's my time, not yours.
07:29My God.
07:30My God.
07:30If you want to talk about.
07:32Biding this country.
07:33It is my time.
07:34I follow you on your social media posts that tear this country apart.
07:38It is my time to address your falsehoods.
07:40You can try all you want.
07:42To the division in this country.
07:43I cannot take responsibility for what you have said.
07:46You had your time.
07:47Sir, you're making a mockery of this committee.
07:49Sir, you don't tell me my time is over.
07:51The people of New Jersey tell me what my time is.
07:53You can't lecture me.
07:54You can tell me my time is over.
07:56You may be the target.
07:57I'm not going anywhere.
07:58The Bureau of Prisons decided on their own, without any consultation with Blanche or anyone else, that they were going to suddenly, after this interview, completely unrelated to this interview, completely unrelated to anything she said, move her to a prison not suitable for a sex offender.
08:18You want the American people to believe that?
08:21Do you think they're stupid?
08:23No.
08:24I think the American people believe the truth.
08:26That I'm not in the weeds on the everyday movements of inmates.
08:29What I am doing is protecting this country, providing historic reform, and combating the weaponization of intelligence by the likes of you.
08:39And we have countlessly proven you to be a liar in Russiagate in January 6th.
08:45You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate.
08:49But all you care about is a child sex predator that was prosecuted by a prior administration, and the Obama Justice Department and the Biden Justice Department did squat.
08:59And what did President Trump do?
09:01Bring new charges courageously.
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