f{"id":50348,"date":"2026-09-16T12:18:27","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=50348"},"modified":"2026-09-16T12:18:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:18:45","slug":"cowardly-kash-patel-accused-of-bolstering-election-lies-under-oath-to-stroke-trumps-ego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/cowardly-kash-patel-accused-of-bolstering-election-lies-under-oath-to-stroke-trumps-ego\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Cowardly\u2019 Kash Patel Accused of Bolstering Election Lies Under Oath to Stroke Trump\u2019s Ego"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/fbi-director-kash-patel-testifies-during-a-senate-judiciary-hearing.jpg?id=67777995&amp;width=1200&amp;height=400&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=0%2C205%2C0%2C1464\" alt=\"FBI Director Kash Patel Testifies During A Senate Judiciary Hearing\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3;width:1200px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 15, 2026 in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Photo by Win McNamee\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One critic said his comments made clear that \u201cPatel\u2019s leadership at the FBI has been plagued by inappropriate politicization, rampant mismanagement of funds and resources, and a lack of regard for public safety.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jessica-corbett\">Jessica Corbett<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sep 15, 2026 (CommonDreams.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/us-senate\">US Senate<\/a> Judiciary Committee\u2019s Tuesday oversight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.judiciary.senate.gov\/committee-activity\/hearings\/oversight-of-the-federal-bureau-of-investigation-09-15-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hearing<\/a> for the Federal Bureau of Investigation covered a wide range of topics, from <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Acyn\/status\/2099889301878431826\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">alcoholism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/government\/fbi-director-kash-patel-face-grilling-over-travel-2020-election-probe-2026-09-15\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bestiality<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2099889575044723000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a snorkeling tour<\/a> of Pearl Harbor and President Donald Trump\u2019s persistent but baseless claims that he won in 2020\u2014and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/fbi\">FBI<\/a> Director Kash Patel came under fire for bolstering the Republican\u2019s election lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2099883421002584157?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pointed out<\/a> that just a few days ago, Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2098778170891653332\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>: \u201cWe had a rigged election, as you know. It was totally rigged. Because I won three times. I didn\u2019t win twice. I won three times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RECOMMENDED&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a class=\"rm-stats-tracked\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-9-11-lies\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/us-trump-9-11-ceremony.jpg?id=67740535&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=833%2C0%2C833%2C0\" alt=\"US-TRUMP-9\/11-CEREMONY\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;width:600px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-9-11-lies\">\u2018Stolen Valor\u2019: Trump\u2019s Fabricated 9\/11 Story Draws Immediate Scorn<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a class=\"rm-stats-tracked\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/jacob-coxon-anthropic-whistleblower\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/in-this-photo-illustration-the-logo-of-anthropic-s-ai.jpg?id=67744797&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=332%2C0%2C333%2C0\" alt=\"In this photo illustration, the logo of Anthropic's AI\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;width:600px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/jacob-coxon-anthropic-whistleblower\">Anthropic Researcher Quits, Citing Internal Fears That AI \u2018Could Kill Us All\u2019 This Decade<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The senator then asked Patel if he agreed with Trump\u2019s declaration that he won the 2020 election. Although the president\u2019s attempts to abuse the US courts to cling to power affirmed his loss, the FBI director responded that \u201cthere are many ongoing investigations surrounding that matter, so I\u2019m not gonna comment on it and stylize the evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Welch Grills FBI Director Patel During Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CVIZfQF6Ql0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After giving Patel another opportunity to answer, which the agency leader used to effectively repeat his response, Welch highlighted the FBI\u2019s January <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/fbi-raids-georgia-election-hub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">raid<\/a> of an election hub in Fulton County, Georgia\u2014which critics, at the time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-fbi-fulton-county\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">condemned<\/a> as an ominous signal that Trump and his allies would do whatever they could to interfere with this November\u2019s midterms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welch stressed that the raid occurred despite two recounts in Georgia following the 2020 contest\u2014including one by hand, which showed that Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ap-fact-check-donald-trump-georgia-elections-atlanta-c23d10e5299e14daee6109885f7dafa9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lost<\/a> the state by 11,779 votes\u2014\u201cand no investigation has found any evidence of wrongdoing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Patel refused to even confirm that there haven\u2019t yet been any related indictments, saying, \u201cThat matter is ongoing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked by Welch if he would promise to \u201cnot in any way interfere in the will of the American people when they go to the polls\u201d this November, Patel <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/cspan\/status\/2099888261678170140?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>, \u201cI pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies,\u201d and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2099885038636573050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">signaled<\/a> that FBI agents would be present at some polling stations for the midterms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welch also cited Trump\u2019s claims that this year\u2019s elections are rigged if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/republicans\">Republicans<\/a> lose and Democrats can only win if they cheat. The senator asked Patel if he agreed with the latter, and the bureau chief again <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/cspan\/status\/2099885846157488248?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">refused<\/a> to comment on what he called \u201congoing investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch the full hearing below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LIVE: Kash Patel testifies at Senate hearing on FBI oversight\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jJqMX6QaAfc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the watchdog group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/public-citizen\">Public Citizen<\/a>, said in a statement that \u201cwhile under oath today, Kash Patel peddled dangerous conspiracy theories and misinformation in order to appease Donald Trump\u2019s ego.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHis cowardly statement supporting Trump\u2019s claim that the only way Democrats could possibly win in November is if the party cheats is particularly rich given Trump\u2019s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his more recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-checks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">offer<\/a> to pay $5k to each American if his own party wins the upcoming election,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese sycophantic statements and his testimony throughout the hearing make it clear that Patel\u2019s leadership at the FBI has been plagued by inappropriate politicization, rampant mismanagement of funds and resources, and a lack of regard for public safety,\u201d she added. \u201cWith Patel at the helm of the agency, dedicated career officers have been dumped over loyalty tests, child predators have been protected, and taxpayer dollars have been wasted going after Trump\u2019s personal enemies. Every day Patel remains in charge of the FBI is a day too long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to Welch, several other Democrats had testy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rawstory.com\/cory-booker-kash-patel-sham\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">exchanges<\/a> with Patel throughout the hearing\u2014including Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/cory-booker\">Cory Booker<\/a> (NJ), who blasted the director as an \u201cincompetent lackey\u201d and said: \u201cHe\u2019s like an 18-year-old kid who wants to join a fraternity that he could never be a member of, doing keg stands and chugging with friends. He\u2019s an embarrassment to the agency and wouldn\u2019t qualify even to be an FBI agent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jessica-corbett\">Jessica Corbett<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jessica Corbett is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/jessica-corbett\">Full Bio &gt;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee\/Getty Images) One critic said his comments made clear that \u201cPatel\u2019s leadership at the FBI has been plagued by inappropriate politicization, rampant mismanagement of funds and&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/cowardly-kash-patel-accused-of-bolstering-election-lies-under-oath-to-stroke-trumps-ego\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1879],"tags":[2508,2507],"class_list":["post-50348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-national-politics","tag-fbi","tag-kash-patel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50348\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}