Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Tuesday accused FBI Director Kash Patel of actions that he says have impeded high-profile investigations. In a letter to federal oversight bodies, Durbin cited a whistleblower account alleging that Patel’s personal travel on Department of Justice and FBI-operated aircraft has come at taxpayers' expense and impeded Bureau operations.
Durbin's letter includes a quote charging that Patel has "seemingly engaged in what amounts to irresponsible joyriding on DOJ and FBI-operated aircraft at the expense of the American taxpayer and to the detriment of ongoing Bureau operations." That allegation is based on information provided by a whistleblower to Durbin’s staff.
The whistleblower told Durbin’s team that the FBI’s shooting reconstruction unit was delayed in reaching a Utah university after the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk because of a shortage of available pilots. According to the account, pilots were required to observe mandatory rest periods and were not immediately available to fly the reconstruction specialists to Utah; the pilot shortage was attributed to personal travel by Patel on government aircraft.
Durbin’s letter also relays a related claim that Patel’s decisions delayed investigative teams responding to a December mass shooting at Brown University. The senator asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the new claims and requested that the Justice Department’s internal watchdog examine Patel’s travel.
Reuters could not independently verify the whistleblower’s assertions. The FBI had not immediately replied to a request for comment on the allegations. In an X post, FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson dismissed Durbin’s criticism, saying Durbin was "full of it."
The disclosures come amid heightened attention to Patel’s taxpayer-funded travel on FBI aircraft. Patel’s recent trip to the Olympics in Milan, Italy attracted scrutiny after videos showed him celebrating with the U.S. men’s hockey team’s locker-room following the team’s gold medal win. Williamson previously said Patel was in Italy on official business and had engaged with foreign officials and U.S. personnel handling security at the Olympics. Patel has maintained that the FBI director is legally required to travel on government planes.
Durbin’s formal requests for inquiries by the GAO and the Justice Department inspector general aim to have independent bodies review both the travel and the operational impacts alleged by the whistleblower. The senator’s letter frames the issues as concerns about the use of government aircraft, potential taxpayer costs, and possible effects on the Bureau’s capacity to respond to violent incidents.
Summary: A Senate Democrat alleges that the FBI director’s personal travel and related decisions have hindered investigative response teams, based on whistleblower claims. Durbin has requested GAO and DOJ inspector general reviews; the FBI has pushed back through a spokesperson’s public comment.