At a tense September 17, 2025 Congressional hearing, Kash Patel came under intense scrutiny as Rep. Jamie Raskin confronted him over his shifting stance on the Jeffrey Epstein files and the long-debated “hidden” blackbook. The exchange erupted when Raskin replayed Patel’s earlier statements demanding full public disclosure of Epstein’s co-conspirators and accusing federal agencies of withholding key names. Patel pushed back, clarifying his previous remarks, while lawmakers pressed for answers on why the Epstein network remains sealed years after the financier’s death.
00:00Worn in as director more than 200 days ago, now the black book is under your direct control.
00:05So why haven't you released the names of Epstein's co-conspirators in the rape and sex trafficking of young women and girls?
00:12We have released more material than anyone else before.
00:15The Biden administration, Obama administration had the exact opportunities to release this material and they never did.
00:20And if you are selling the men and women of the FBI, we're not going after child predators.
00:23Hang on, you said we're not going after child predators.
00:261,500 child predators arrested this year.
00:2835% increase, 4,700 child victims now.
00:31Mr. Chairman, I'm going to reclaim my time if you can instruct the witness.
00:33And let me make something crystal clear.
00:35I never said Jeffrey Epstein didn't traffic other people, other women, and they're not other victims.
00:40This is the investigation we were given from 2006, 7, and 8 and the search warrants from 2006, 7, and 8.
00:46Everything the court has allowed us to release.
00:48Which court are you talking about?
00:49Three separate federal courts have come in and said.
00:52We're talking about the evidence you've got.
00:54It's got nothing to do with what those courts have.
00:56Do you have any idea how the law works?
00:58Director Patel, before you joined the FBI, you railed against it for covering up Jeffrey Epstein's human trafficking ring.
01:04Let me refresh your memory with this clip.
01:07So you finished that December 2023 interview with a challenge to the FBI and harsh words for Republicans in Congress for not getting the Epstein files out to the public.
01:16Put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are, you said.
01:22You emphasized that the president and the FBI director each had complete authority to release Epstein's client list.
01:29You said Epstein's black book is under the, quote, direct control of the director of the FBI.
01:34Look at this clip.
01:34All right.
01:35So you were sworn in as director more than 200 days ago.
01:38Now the black book is under your direct control.
01:41So why haven't you released the names of Epstein's co-conspirators in the rape and sex trafficking of young women and girls?
01:49The Rolodex, which is what everybody colloquially refers to as the black book, has been released.
01:55Oh, no, you're talking about what the journalist got five years ago?
01:58No, that's not what we're talking about.
02:00We're talking about what you were talking about there.
02:02The black book under the direct control of the FBI director.
02:05We have released more material than anyone else before.
02:08The Biden administration, Obama administration had the exact opportunities to release this material, and they never did.
02:13And if you are selling the men and women of the FBI, we're not going after child predators.
02:16Hang on.
02:17You said we're not going after child predators.
02:191,500 child predators arrested this year.
02:22Thirty-five percent increase.
02:23I'll reclaim my time.
02:244,700 child victims now.
02:24Mr. Chairman, I'm going to reclaim my time if you can instruct the witness.
02:28Why have you changed your position?
02:29There you were saying it's under the direct control of the FBI director and all of it should be released.
02:36Why have you changed your position?
02:37Everything that has been lawfully permitted to be released has been released.
02:42And as I told you, the investigation was limited.
02:45And let me make something crystal clear.
02:46I never said Jeffrey Epstein didn't traffic other people, other women, and they're not other victims.
02:51This is the investigation we were given from 2006, 2007, and 2008, and the search warrant from 2006, 2007, and 2008.
02:57That's what we're working with.
02:58Wait, have you released all of the stuff that the FBI has seized from Epstein's house?
03:04The computers, the emails, the file cabinets, the documents?
03:07What about the financial records?
03:09Have you released all of that?
03:10Everything the court has allowed us to release.
03:12Which court are you talking about?
03:13Three separate federal courts have come in and said.
03:17We're talking about the evidence you've got.
03:18It's got nothing to do with what those courts have.
03:20Do you have any idea how the law works?
03:22Wait a minute.
03:23Do you want me to break the law in a federal judge's order to satisfy your curiosity?
03:25No, I want you to follow your own word, Director Patel.
03:28You said up there it was under the direct control of the FBI director.
03:32He had the black book.
03:33And everything I have direct control over, we have gone to court.
03:37You haven't.
03:37Complete your sentence.
03:38Everything you have direct control over, you said.
03:41We have gone to court and everything we have direct control over.
03:44Complete your sentence.
03:45You said everything.
03:45And can lawfully release, we're releasing.
03:48You'd like to complete his answer.
03:49You began the sentence, everything you have direct control over, I, and then you stopped
03:55that sentence.
03:56You've released everything that you have direct control over?
03:58I have direct control over and can lawfully release.
04:02If you're not familiar with the court orders, that's not my fault.
04:04Oh, I'm perfectly familiar with them.
04:07But how did we prosecute Ghislaine Maxwell?
04:11She was prosecuted with the investigatory material that was collected from 2001 and 2005.
04:18Because of the non-prosecution agreements and the court orders on the investigations and
04:24search warrants, we were not able to develop new information.
04:27And oh, by the way, Jeffrey Epstein was out for 12 years.
04:30And the Obama and Biden administration did nothing to look at his work, his pedophile
04:34network.
04:34If you want to blame me, that's fine.
04:36But now you're blaming the men and women who conducted this great search.
04:38No, stop that.
04:39I'm not blaming anybody other than you.
04:40You're not keeping your word.
04:42You said that you would release all of the materials under your direct control.
04:44You have more information on Epstein than I have.
04:47Has anyone?
04:47Much more.
04:48Did Comey?
04:48Did Ray?
04:49Much, much more.
04:50Did they?
04:50Excuse me.
04:51Much more has come out in the days since the American people in Congress have been demanding
04:55it.
04:56But it's coming out in dribs and drabs.
04:58Why don't you just release the entire file as you promised to do?
05:01I literally just told you.
05:03There are multiple federal court orders.
05:04I'm not going to break the law to satisfy your curiosity.
05:08You didn't join us when we filed court to release the court orders.
05:12You could have.
05:13You have lawyers.
05:13You could have shown up.
05:15You didn't do that.
05:15That's a tiny fraction of the material we're talking about.
05:18That is not.
05:18It is a tiny fraction.
05:19How do you know that?
05:20Have you seen everything?
05:21It's all misdirection.
05:22How do you know that?
05:22The time of the gentleman has expired.
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