By Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff
WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - FBI Director Kash Patel defended his record on reducing crime on Tuesday in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as Democrats grilled him over the files related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the use of taxpayer funds for personal travel.
Republican senators praised the drop in crime in the United States, which FBI statistics show is at among the lowest level in decades. They also asked Patel about the FBI's
probes into a prior federal investigation of Republican President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, an issue Republican committee chair Senator Chuck Grassley has said is a top priority for the panel.
Democrats asked Patel about his use of FBI agents to flag any mention of Trump in the Epstein files and why some files have not yet been released.
Republicans and Democrats also pushed Patel to explain why the FBI changed its hiring qualifications, including eliminating bestiality as an automatic disqualifier. Patel said he did so because some trafficking victims can be forced into sex with animals.
Tuesday's appearance came after Joe DiGenova, who had been leading a Justice Department investigation that sought to show that Trump was the victim of a criminal conspiracy, abruptly resigned last week. Patel was expected to receive questions about DiGenova's departure.
It was Patel's first appearance before the Senate since May, when Democrats pressed him over a media report that his excessive drinking had interfered with his ability to lead the top U.S. law enforcement agency. Patel defended his leadership and denied the report, arguing he has helped reduce crime nationwide.
Patel has since appeared with Trump to tout the lowest levels of violent crime in decades, a trend that began before Trump's second term.
Patel has also forged an unprecedented partnership with China and Russia to combat transnational crime, Reuters previously reported, which critics say could undermine U.S. national security. On Tuesday, Patel touted his efforts to collaborate with other governments to catch some of the world's most dangerous people.
Patel, a Trump appointee, has been a subject of controversy since he took over as head of the FBI.
He drew criticism over media reports about him scuba diving at a Pearl Harbor memorial, and for drinking beer while celebrating with the gold medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team at the Milan Winter Olympics.
That scrutiny has at times come from Republicans, including Grassley, who sought information in May about Patel's use of a government plane, luxury cars and other resources, according to the top Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary committees.
Patel told Grassley he has reimbursed personal travel expenses, and said the luxury cars were cheaper than others the FBI has previously bought, according to a July letter Patel released ahead of the hearing.
(Reporting by Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff; Editing by Andy Sullivan, Will Dunham and Bill Berkrot)
