Zoom in: Patel said the administration is releasing as much as they can but that they are limited by court orders.

"I strongly encourage you to do that, Kash," Kennedy said, adding, "This issue is not going to go away."

Judges who have blocked the release of transcripts and exhibits have said they would unveil no meaningful new information and that the government had failed to identify "special circumstances" that would justify unsealing them.

What we're watching: The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed a number of prominent individuals to testify and obtained documents, including a book of birthday messages, from Epstein's estate amid an ongoing probe.

And the discharge petition from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on the Epstein files is likely to force a House vote soon.

Go deeper: Patel says "original sin" in Epstein case was Acosta's handling

https://www.foxnews.com/us/fbi-investigating-lot-more-than-20-people-discord-chats-suspected-charlie-kirk-assassin

FBI Director Kash Patel revealed that the investigation into the assassination of conservative speaker Charlie Kirk has expanded, with the bureau looking at numerous individuals who may have communicated with the suspect in online chats.

Speaking at a Senate hearing Tuesday, Patel said some of those under scrutiny are linked to an online chatroom where the suspect, Tyler Robinson, allegedly shared his plans.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., directly pressed Patel on whether Kirk’s suspected killer acted alone.

"So others could have been involved?" Kennedy asked.

"Yes, sir," Patel responded.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., also questioned Patel, demanding answers about the Discord server where Kirk’s suspected assassin reportedly engaged with others prior to the attack.

"I see the public reports that the Discord thread had as many as 20 additional users," Hawley said. "It sounds like you're trying to run down all of that to see if that's accurate. Who else may have been on that thread, what they may have known? Is that fair to say?"

Patel replied, "It's a lot more than that, and we're running them all down."

Patel also confirmed the FBI had served legal process on Discord and is now combing through the digital footprint left behind in that chatroom. He described it as an online "gaming chat room," but emphasized the FBI is treating all users involved with urgency.

"We're also going to be investigating anyone and everyone involved in that Discord chat," Patel said.

The chat reportedly included discussions that could indicate ideological motivations, and possibly even encouragement or foreknowledge of the attack.

"Those closest to the suspect are going to hopefully know the most about the suspect and his beliefs and his ideology," Patel said. "We're continuing to do that."

Hawley also pressed Patel on whether Kirk’s assassination is part of a broader trend of anti-Christian violence, a concern growing in many conservative circles.

"Is the FBI investigating the Kirk assassination as part of this broader pattern of anti-religious, anti-Christian violence?" Hawley asked.

Patel responded, "We are investigating Charlie's assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence."

Patel did not name specific individuals but confirmed that numerous people are now being interrogated and that the FBI is pursuing additional suspects tied to the same chatroom.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/09/16/congress/adam-schiff-kash-patel-live-testimony-00566772

The yearslong feud between longtime political rivals Adam Schiff and Kash Patel reached a fever pitch Tuesday afternoon, complete with a shouting match that briefly derailed an ongoing Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

The confrontation occurred when Schiff, a Democratic senator from California, questioned Patel, the FBI director, about the Justice Department’s decision to move Ghislaine Maxwell — an associate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — to a lower security prison facility.

Schiff asked Patel whether he believed the American people were “stupid” enough to believe his answer that the Bureau of Prisons independently made the decision to move Maxwell, rather than it being a politically-motivated move by the White House.

“What I am doing is protecting this country … and combating the weaponization of intelligence by the likes of you,” Patel said, interrupting Schiff. “We have countlessly proven you to be a liar in Russiangate, in January 6. You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate.”

Patel went on to call him “a political buffoon at best.”

The animosity between the two men dates back, at least, to Schiff’s time as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, where he led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Patel, then a House Intelligence staffer, was tasked with working to discredit the probe.

Five years later, Schiff served on a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol; Patel, meanwhile, was an advocate for many of the incarcerated rioters.

Years later, in the lead-up to Patel’s confirmation to lead the FBI, Senate Judiciary Democrats pointed to the fact that Patel reposted a meme on social media that featured the likeness of Patel taking a chainsaw to Schiff’s head. Another photo shared by Democrats showed an image of Patel appearing to hold an object with Schiff’s face beside a catapult.

More recently, Patel has accused Schiff of moving to leak incriminating information about President Donald Trump while Intelligence Committee chair. Schiff, through a spokesperson, has denied the claims.

As the shouting on Tuesday continued, Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, pleaded with chair Chuck Grassley to take control of the situation. Grassley pounded his gavel repeatedly, saying, “Both of you be quiet.”

It was perhaps the most heated moment of the questioning on Tuesday, during which Patel was pressed on his handling of the Epstein matter and the investigation into the assassination of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk, among other topics.

But it was not the first explosive exchange of the day. Patel also tangled with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who told the FBI director, “I think you’re not gonna be around long” — a suggestion Trump would eventually turn on him.

That comment set off a similar shouting match in which Patel called Booker “an embarrassment to your country” and Booker shouted back, “I’m not afraid of you.”

In a social media post after the conclusion of the hearing, Schiff contended that Patel went before lawmakers to “save his job” and argued he was “performing for an audience of one.” The White House, meanwhile, congratulated Patel for going after “Pencil Neck” — the president’s nickname for Schiff.

Patel will go before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cx2xed8yv00o

Cory Booker launched into FBI Director Kash Patel at a Senate Judiciary Hearing on 16 September, over what the New Jersey senator termed "generational destruction of the nation's premier law enforcement agency."

Suggesting that Patel did not have long left in his role, Patel and Booker descended into a shouting match.

The clash follows criticism of Kash Patel's missteps as FBI director, where he posted and retracted several statements about the Charlie Kirk shooter's identity, and fired multiple law enforcement officials after they worked on investigating Donald Trump.

>>1437686
>said there is, "no credible information, none" that Epstein "trafficked to other individuals."
Cover up continues.

>>1437694
>, and fired multiple law enforcement officials after they worked on investigating Donald Trump.
Yes it does.

>>1437717
You know I want someone to ask; if there's no credible info that Epstein trafficked kids to others WHO THE FUCK WAS PAYING HIM???

>>1437755

That's easy. He was being paid by the people who want there to be no credible evidence that he trafficked kids.

>>1437755
It was a dealmaker. There are people who make money just by knowing people and connecting people to the people they know. They usually get paid by getting a slice of the deal.

>>1437691
>Schiff asked Patel whether he believed the American people were “stupid” enough to believe his answer that the Bureau of Prisons independently made the decision to move Maxwell, rather than it being a politically-motivated move by the White House.
Considering it's a direct black and white violation of their policies to move any kind of sex offender to that facility...

Weird how this thread is being ignored considering it discusses the other 20 people in Robinson's discord.

>>1438030
Its being ignored because no one fucking cares about Schiffs showboating. Dude has zero credibility left among his fellow Democrats, let alone indies and R's.

>>1438032
Ahh so you're an Epstein defender. A bold choice in this environment.

>>1438061
About half the country chooses to be blindly loyal to Trump, so it really isn’t that bold of him to believe everything out of Trump’s mouth

>>1438081
More than half, buddy.
Ahahahaahahahaha!!!

>>1438090
Source?

>>1438103
If you don't know how to obtain information at this point in history, you're literally not worth talking to.

>>1438105
I knew you didn't have a source.

>>1438108
To be fair, your initial comment was retarded, casting those who want dRumpf as president as blind sheep.
When in fact, most Demodrone voters have just been bumbling along retardedly listening to the mouthpieces of investment bankers who support Dems.
The 2024 election should've been a sign that the spell cast is wearing off.

>>1438110
>dRumpf
Oh you're one of those. No wonder.

>>1438114
I also coined the phrase "Griping about gRumpf".