Democrats to investigate Kash Patel ‘luxury’ perks after GOP ally sought answers about FBI jet use and BMW purchases

Published July 9, 2026 3:05pm ET | Updated July 9, 2026 9:04pm ET



Congressional Democrats are pushing FBI Director Kash Patel for answers over his use of taxpayer-funded resources after a private letter from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) raised many of their same concerns about the director’s spending patterns.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the top Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, disclosed Thursday that Grassley sent the Trump administration’s FBI director a private letter in May seeking detailed records about his use of FBI aircraft and the bureau’s purchase of armored BMW vehicles for the director’s transportation.

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