Why does anyone think he told the truth?
I can’t pretend to understand the DOJ’s strategy with respect to Kash Patel. He is an Ultra-Trump loyalist and I have to assume that he will lie to protect Trump. The DOJ prosecutors must assume that as well, right? How could they not?But he took the 5th in his testimony before the Grand Jury and the DOJ was forced to give him some kind of limited immunity to get him not to take it. But again, do they think he will tell the truth? You tell me:
Kash Patel, a loyal aideto Donald Trumpand former White House deputy, faced questions before a grand jury Thursday as part of a criminal investigation into the former president’s possession of classified records more than 18 months after he left office, according to a personfamiliar with the matter.
National security prosecutors asked Patel about his public claims this spring that Trump had declassified a large number of government documents before leaving office in 2021. Patel was also questioned about how and why the departing president took secret and top-secret records to Mar-a-Lago, his part-time residence and private club in Florida, according to the person with knowledge of the session, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about a grand jury probe.
Patel, a former federal prosecutor, is considered a key witness by the Justice Department in large measure because of what evidence he may provide in defense of Trump’s retention of the records, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss it. Some of the records contained top-secret information about Iran’s missile system and intelligence related to China, The Washington Post has previously reported.
Investigators did not expect Patel to offer evidence implicating Trump in possible crimes, these people said. But they added that the government badly wanted his firsthand account, under oath, of any declassification decisions made by Trump.
Patel declared in media interviews in May and June that he was present when Trump decided to declassify material — though he brought up the subject in the context of investigations of any connections between Trump and Russian election interference, or past investigations involving Hillary Clinton, and did not mention the Mar-a-Lago probe, then in its early stages.
While Trump has publicly said he declassified material he brought to Mar-a-Lago, his lawyers have studiously avoided making such a claim in court filings — arguing only that he might have done so.
I guess they figured Patel would confirm his earlier statement that Trump declassified a bunch of documents in his presence? I guess so but it seems to me he could easily say he didn’t. The fact that he and Trump have both been lying all over TV is meaningless. Patel will say whatever benefits Trump.
Patel is a former DOJ employee. Maybe they know him? I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Or not. But this one has me a little confused. Kash Patel is a former DOJ employee. Maybe they know him?