Patel has repeatedly said that the FBI and Justice Department have released all “credible” information in the Epstein case file. Some lawmakers have questioned why the FBI’s summaries of interviews with victims, in which they apparently name others who they say victimized them, have not been released, given that framework.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat of Washington, picked up on that line of questioning.
“Today, in response to Mr. Massie’s question, you appeared to say that the survivors were not credible. These are survivors —” she said.
“That’s not at all what I said,” Patel said.
“OK, great, I’m going to ask you this in a second, but let me tell you about the survivors —” Jayapal continued.
“Don’t lie about me,” Patel said.
“— and let’s bring them up here in the room. These are women who came to the Hill and testified that they were groomed and raped at the age of 14 and 16 years old and they called to meet with the president and to meet with the FBI and to have people investigate their claims,” Jayapal said. “Some of them have never testified before. If you are so interested in getting the public to submit any information, why have you not met with them?”
“My job as the FBI director —”
“Is the answer yes or no that you met with these women who were sexually abused and raped?” Jayapal asked, her voice rising.
“Any insinuation that you or any people on your side that I am not manhunting child predators and sex traffickers, just look at the stats,” Patel said. “And you talk about cover-ups, ma’am. Where were you during the Obama and Biden administrations when these so-called cover-ups were going on?”
After some back and forth over how much time Jayapal had left, she asked him directly if he thinks the victims are credible.
“Ma’am, I’m commenting on the evidence we have. We have repeatedly asked for people to come forward with more evidence and we will look at it,” Patel said.
