House Judiciary Democrats have formally asked FBI Director Kash Patel to submit to a standardized alcohol screening and provide the results to Congress, escalating scrutiny over his conduct in the role.
Led by Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin, the group sent a letter Tuesday requesting Patel complete the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, a 10-question World Health Organization tool designed to detect harmful drinking patterns. The letter also demands he provide a sworn statement confirming his answers and submit all security clearance questionnaires he has filed since becoming FBI director.
Democrats cited what they described as a pattern of conduct damaging national security. According to the letter, Patel's alleged unavailability caused delays in terror-related decisions, including the issuance of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants. The letter also alleged he had broadcast inaccurate information during two major investigations: the search for a suspect in a mass shooting at Brown University and efforts to locate the person responsible for Charlie Kirk's death.
"These glimpses of your relationship to alcohol would be alarming to see in an FBI agent; for us to see them in the FBI Director himself is shocking and indicative of a public emergency," the letter stated.
The Audit test uses a 0 to 40 scale, with scores of eight or higher indicating hazardous or harmful alcohol use. The 10 questions assess drinking frequency and warning signs of dependency, including memory blackouts and needing morning drinks to recover.
The Atlantic published an investigation last week based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former FBI officials who expressed concerns about Patel's alcohol consumption. Some of the most serious allegations included an incident where his security detail struggled to rouse him from what appeared to be intoxication, and another where agents sought heavy breaching equipment to access a locked room where he was unresponsive.
Patel has firmly denied the allegations. On Monday, he filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic. At a press conference Tuesday, he told reporters he had "never been intoxicated on the job" and challenged anyone making accusations to face him in court. He characterized himself as a dedicated public servant who works longer hours than anyone else and happened to celebrate with the men's hockey team after they won gold at the Winter Olympics.
Senate Democrats have also joined the effort. Minority Whip Dick Durbin took to the Senate floor calling for Patel's removal, accusing him of weaponizing the FBI to serve President Trump's interests.
The House Democrats' letter set a deadline of next week for Patel to comply with their demands. If he does not, they have asked House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, to compel Patel's appearance at a formal hearing under oath.
"The American people deserve to hear the facts directly from you now, not your lawyers weeks or months from now, to determine for ourselves whether your continued leadership of the FBI in fact constitutes a severe national security vulnerability," the letter said.
Author James Rodriguez: "The timing and scope of this demand suggest Democrats are willing to put real institutional pressure on Trump's FBI pick, but Patel's defiance and pending lawsuit make a quick resolution unlikely."
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