Kash Patel defends removing bestiality as automatic disqualifier for FBI applicants
By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN
(CNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel’s decision to remove bestiality as an automatic disqualifier for FBI job applicants drew bipartisan disbelief Tuesday after he said the change was intended to protect trafficking victims coerced into sexual acts with animals.
The FBI previously automatically disqualified people who acknowledged engaging in crimes including prostitution or bestiality, which is sexual activity between a human and an animal. Now applicants won’t automatically be disqualified for those acts.
Patel said in testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that the new rules were put in place because “we did not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked.”
“We did not want to make it an automatic disqualification for the FBI to consider you if you are a victim of these awful heinous acts,” he said.
Senators across party lines immediately zeroed in on what Patel meant by “victims” of bestiality.
“Why would you even get into bestiality?” Republican Sen. John Kennedy asked Patel.
“We are not into bestiality,” Patel responded, before the senator cut him off.
“I know you’re not, but you changed the qualifications and mentioned bestiality,” Kennedy said, pushing for further explanation. Patel noted that some former trafficking victims had been disqualified for a job because they were forced into bestiality.
“But you’re not telling us today that if a human being had sex with an animal, that they can still be an FBI agent,” Kennedy asked.
“No, Patel said.
Outside of hiring practices, Patel was pressed on the ongoing investigations into the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Goods, the ousting of career FBI employees, and the bureau’s plans to patrol the upcoming midterm elections.
On some of those topics — like the Pretti and Good matters — Patel declined to share information because investigations were ongoing. As for the mass exodus of employees, Patel said that most retired and that those fired had “weaponized” the federal government.
In response to questions on the election, Patel said that the FBI was going to “house our agents and intel analysts in our field offices for election security,” but expressed some skepticism that the bureau is barred from sending agents to the polls.
“Do you pledge that you will not, in any way, interfere in the will of the American people when they go to the polls in November,” Democratic Sen. Peter Welch asked.
Patel said, “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.”
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