Patel says FBI has released ‘all credible information’ about Jeffrey Epstein

The FBI has put forth “all credible information” it has on collaborators with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, bureau Director Kash Patel told Congress on Wednesday as he faced withering accusations of a cover-up.

He said he has never discussed the files with President Trump, though he wouldn’t say specifically whether he and Attorney General Pam Bondi discussed Mr. Trump’s name when it appears in the FBI’s investigative documents on Epstein, who died in 2019.

“We have released where President Trump’s name was in the files,” Mr. Patel said.

He did rebuff a Democratic lawmaker who speculated that Mr. Trump’s name appeared anywhere from 100 to 1,000 times.

“I don’t know the number, but it’s not that,” Mr. Patel said.

He repeatedly sparred with lawmakers who complained he hasn’t done enough to provide information or pursue more investigations.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Washington Democrat, screamed at the director to let victims personally testify to him about their travails. She even suggested her own House colleagues could be implicated by what the women — at the time underage girls — experienced.

“Are you going to continue to cover up for the rich and powerful men, including those that might be on this committee?” Ms. Jayapal said.

Mr. Patel said the FBI has pursued all “credible” leads and would welcome more.

He then unloaded on Ms. Jayapal.

“You talk about cover-ups. Where were you during the Obama and Biden administrations when these so-called cover-ups were going on?” he said.

He said he’s open to new evidence.

Rep. Ted Lieu, California Democrat, demanded he subpoena Epstein’s estate for the documents it still holds after the estate turned over to Congress what appears to be a letter from Mr. Trump to Epstein. The president filed a defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal after it was the first to report on the letter. Mr. Trump contends that the letter is fake.

Mr. Patel told Mr. Lieu the FBI can’t compel the estate.

“The estate is under no obligation to provide that information even pursuant to a subpoena,” he said.

Mr. Lieu disputed that.

“You’re the frickin’ FBI,” he said. “You can subpoena information from the estate, and you better do that.”