Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the FBI, has pledged to work with Senator Marsha Blackburn to expose those who worked with Jeffrey Epstein in trafficking and exploiting children. During a confirmation hearing, Blackburn questioned Patel about how he would handle the Epstein case, which involved nearly 200 names that had previously been redacted from court documents.
Blackburn, a top Republican senator, has been working to uncover the names of those who flew on Epstein’s plane and accomplices. She took a jab at former Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, saying that she had urged him to subpoena the records but was blocked by Durbin and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Patel responded by saying that he would work with Blackburn to ensure that the American public knows the full weight of what happened in the past and how to combat missing and exploited children going forward. He also reiterated his commitment to combating child sex trafficking.
The exchange came as Patel’s nomination has sparked criticism from some Democrats, who have cited his previous vows to prosecute journalists and career officials at the Justice Department and FBI that he sees as being part of the “deep state.”