Accountable.US Calls on District Court to Order Release Of Classified Documents Report Before Kash Patel Confirmation Vote

WASHINGTON, DC– Last night, Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, who is best known for making “attacking the FBI a personal brand” and putting his loyalty to Trump above national security, was cleared by Senate Republicans in a procedural vote, setting up a confirmation vote as early as Thursday. However, key questions remain about Patel’s involvement in the now-defunct criminal case against Donald Trump and his alleged handling of classified documents. 

That’s because Donald Trump’s DOJ is withholding the release of the second volume of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report into potential misconduct – which could contain critical information on Kash Patel and whether he misled the public by claiming that Trump declassified documents before leaving office. The report may also offer details into Patel’s role in the classified documents case after he refused to testify before a grand jury, invoking his right against self-incrimination. 

Last week, watchdog group American Oversight submitted an expedited motion urging Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon to reverse the court order preventing the report from being disclosed, which she rejected. American Oversight has a separate action pending in Washington, DC, and will argue in that case that non-exempt portions of the report should be released pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. The DC District Court must allow the Special Counsel’s report to be swiftly released before the Senate votes on Kash Patel’s nomination. 

“With Kash Patel’s confirmation vote looming, Trump’s DOJ and a Trump-appointed judge are standing in the way of the release of critical information which would shine a light on Patel’s ability to serve as FBI Director,” said Tony Carrk, Executive Director of Accountable.US. “Kash Patel has a dangerous track record of putting his loyalty to Trump before our national security, and the U.S. Senators and the American public deserve to know where his allegiances would stand if confirmed. DC District Court must allow the release of the Special Counsel’s report swiftly, and Patel’s vote should be held until Americans can read it for themselves.”

Kash Patel has been roundly criticized for his fealty to Trump over upholding the rule of law. Numerous former Trump officials have spoken out with grave concerns about Patel’s nomination. General Mark Milley has publicly feared Patel would break the law for Trump, and former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr has said Patel has “virtually no experience that would qualify him to serve at the highest level of the world’s preeminent law enforcement agency.”

Read more from Accountable.US on what you need to know about Kash Patel’s nomination. 

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