In a recent interview, Kash Patel, a former high-ranking government official, asserted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) deliberately shielded former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton from a proper investigation. Patel, advocating for increased transparency to restore public faith in the agency, leveled these accusations during a joint appearance with former Secret Service agent and media commentator Dan Bongino.
According to Patel, who previously served in key national security roles, former FBI Director James Comey overstepped his authority by unilaterally deciding against pursuing charges related to Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. Patel contends that Comey usurped the prosecutorial discretion that rightfully belongs to the Department of Justice.
Patel specifically pointed to Comey’s public announcement in the summer of 2016, where he detailed what many considered to be evidence of criminal wrongdoing in Clinton’s handling of classified information, yet concluded that “no reasonable prosecutor” would bring a case.1 Patel alleges that Comey intentionally withheld or misrepresented information pertinent to the investigation.
The conversation also touched upon the subsequent investigation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Patel claimed that new information has emerged exposing how Comey manipulated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process and misled the public regarding this matter. He accused the former FBI director of concealing crucial documents to obstruct the truth.
Supporting Patel’s claims, Bongino stated that evidence from Comey’s time as director was discovered in a location previously unknown to them. While stopping short of calling the room “hidden,” Bongino indicated that the materials were not disclosed to them and were found unprocessed and not officially entered into the FBI’s records system. He described finding the items in bags and suggested their contents, once declassified, would be shocking to the public.
Bongino explained that the declassification process is complex as it involves information belonging to other intelligence agencies, but assured that they are working diligently to make the findings public. These remarks came after a discussion about a cryptic social media post by Comey, which some interpreted as a veiled message directed at then-President Trump. The post featured seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” with “86” being slang for getting rid of something and “47” potentially referencing the 45th president.
