Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have sent a formal letter to FBI Director Kash Patel asking him to complete a standard screening questionnaire used to identify what they describe as harmful patterns of alcohol use. The letter is led by ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md) and signed by more than a dozen Democrats and it was sent on Tuesday.
The questions included in the form are detailed. They ask how many drinks Patel usually has on a typical day, how often drinking has caused him to fail at work duties and how often he has been unable to remember the previous night because of alcohol. Democrats are also asking him to sign a sworn statement confirming that his answers are true, under penalty of perjury.
Raskin wrote in the letter:
“It is no surprise that your purported drinking habits and erratic schedule have had demonstrably disastrous effects on your performance of duties as FBI Director.”
“Your inability to control your impulses has reportedly undermined high-stakes criminal investigations,” he added,
However, According to NBC News, Democrats are not in the majority and do not have the power to issue subpoenas on their own which means Republicans are unlikely to force Patel to respond if he refuses.
Also Read: Was Kash Patel targeted? Steve Bannon calls Fox interview a ‘sanctioned hit’
Where it all started?
The demand comes after a report published by The Atlantic, which cited more than two dozen sources and alleged that Patel engaged in excessive drinking and had unexplained absences from work. The article also suggested that his behavior could raise concerns about public safety and national security.
According to BBC, the Atlantic reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick defended the story and said Patel was given multiple chances to respond. She said:
“We reached out for comment to The White House, and to the Justice Department, neither of which disputed anything,”
“We gave multiple opportunities, including 19 detailed, detailed questions. So we stand by every word,” she added.
The magazine also defended its reporting after Patel filed a lawsuit, saying:
“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”
Also Read: Did Kash Patel show ‘alcoholic behaviour’? FBI chief faces backlash over report as defamation case is dismissed
Patel fires back with a $250 million lawsuit
Kash Patel has strongly rejected the allegations and responded by filing a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic.
His legal team described the report as a “sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece”
The lawsuit also claims the article contained “false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office.”
However, this is not the time Patel has faced the questions about alcohol-related behavior.
According to NBC News, videos showing Patel drinking beer circulated on social media in February. The report also said former President Donald Trump had previously expressed concern to Patel about his behavior in a locker-room setting and his use of a government plane to travel to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
There is also a past legal incident that has resurfaced. Patel was arrested in 2001 for misdemeanor public intoxication during a college basketball game in Richmond, Virginia. He was later found guilty, according to public records cited by NBC News.
🚨 BREAKING: Watch the full clip here ➤
