FBI Director Kash Patel alleged last week that the agency deliberately hid investigations involving then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, as he continues to advocate for greater transparency within the bureau.
Patel made these remarks during an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, joined by Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
He asserted that former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump in 2017, made independent decisions about criminal investigations.
According to Patel, Comey bypassed the Department of Justice and the Attorney General’s authority, instead choosing which cases to pursue on his own, including the investigation into Clinton’s private email server.
Patel pointed to the 2016 email controversy involving Clinton, saying it was an early indication of improper conduct before what he called the false narrative surrounding Trump’s alleged ties to Russia began circulating.
He claimed Comey either withheld or misrepresented critical information related to investigations during his leadership of the FBI, and encouraged viewers to refer to public video footage for evidence, per the Conservative Brief.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Comey held a press conference where he acknowledged the FBI found questionable actions related to Clinton’s handling of classified emails. However, he concluded that no reasonable prosecutor would bring charges.
Days before the election, Comey reopened the email case, citing newly discovered emails on a separate device. Clinton later cited the timing of this action as a major factor in her loss to Trump.
Patel also addressed the investigation into Trump’s alleged connections with Russia, stating that new findings have come to light, further discrediting the original probe.
He accused Comey of misusing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and misleading the American public by distorting standard procedures tied to surveillance and evidence handling.
Patel alleged that Comey intentionally hid documents in undisclosed locations, preventing proper oversight and discovery during official reviews.
“He concealed relevant documents and hid them in places that cannot be found,” Patel said, referring to Comey.
Deputy Director Bongino echoed Patel’s concerns during a separate appearance on “Fox & Friends,” revealing that items from Comey’s tenure were recently found in a previously unknown room.
Bongino clarified that while the room wasn’t officially labeled as secret, its existence was unknown to the current leadership, and it contained material that should have been part of FBI records.
He said efforts are underway to declassify the discovered content, but added that some materials fall under the jurisdiction of other intelligence agencies, limiting what can be released unilaterally.
Bongino described how some items were not digitized or entered into official record systems, instead being found in bags, hidden during Comey’s time in charge.
Although he did not provide specifics, Bongino suggested the content would be surprising to the public once it is declassified and reviewed.
His comments were prompted by a Fox News anchor asking about a recent social media post from Comey, which Patel had previously mentioned.
Comey had shared a photo on Instagram of seashells arranged to spell “8647,” accompanied by a caption that read, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” sparking speculation about its meaning.
Some officials believe the post may have been aimed at Trump, interpreting “86” as slang for elimination and “47” as a reference to Trump potentially becoming the 47th president.
