WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

02/23 20:52 CST FBI director invites fresh scrutiny over travels with appearance at US men's hockey team celebration FBI director invites fresh scrutiny over travels with appearance at US men's hockey team celebration By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) --- When the American men's hockey team retreated to their locker room to celebrate their Winter Olympics gold medal win, they were joined by a special guest from the United States: FBI Director Kash Patel. For some supporters of the embattled law enforcement official, it was a patriotic, good-natured show of support for a team bringing home the first gold medal in the sport since 1980. For Patel's critics, though, it was yet another questionable use of government resources by an FBI chief already facing scrutiny over his personal travels aboard a government plane. An FBI spokesman had said in the days leading up to the game that Patel's trip to Milan during the Olympics was primarily for professional purposes, with the director posting on social media work-related photographs of his meetings with European security officials. But the trip took a more jocular turn Sunday when videos circulating online showed a pumped-up Patel, a hockey fan, drinking beer from a bottle and spraying the rest around the locker room. After one of the players draped his gold medal around Patel's neck, he joined the players as they jumped up and down in celebration. The episode deepened questions about Patel's personal travels, a persistent storyline from the first year of his tenure not only because of their frequency but also because he had chastised his predecessor, Chris Wray, for his use of the FBI plane. In this instance, the Olympics celebration took place as FBI officials were investigating an armed man who was shot and killed by the U.S. Secret Service after he breached the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. "The grift & corruption is unreal," Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado posted on X. "Your taxpayer dollars funding the FBI Director's Italian vacation." Patel responded to the criticism by posting on his personal X account that "yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys." The White House signaled its backing for Patel, with communications director Steven Cheung writing on X that "Kash was also in Italy meeting with regional partners and security teams" and telling a reporter "don't be mad because America won."

An ongoing source of criticism Patel is not the only Trump administration figure to face questions about his use of government resources, with congressional Democrats also demanding answers from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about her department's contract for upgraded jets. But the FBI in particular has struggled to shake questions about Patel's travels on the government Gulfstream G550 for flights around the country that have no known or apparent law enforcement purpose. One example came in October when it emerged that Patel had traveled to State College, Pennsylvania, for a pro wrestling event, where his longtime girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, had performed the national anthem. Photos posted to social media by Wilkins show the couple side-by-side and smiling for the camera and her holding an oversized golden championship belt. The trips have come even though as a bombastic podcaster during the Biden administration, Patel had repeatedly lambasted Wray for using the FBI plane for personal travels and even suggested that the jet be grounded. "I'm just saying Chris Wray doesn't need a government-funded G5 jet to go to vacations. Maybe we ground that plane. $15,000 every time it takes off. Just a thought," Patel said in one podcast interview. FBI spokesman Ben Williamson has defended Patel, noting that he is required for security purposes to use the bureau jet even for personal trips and consistently reimburses the government for private travels. "Kash himself has significantly limited personal travel --- but he's allowed to take personal time on occasion to see family, friends or his longtime girlfriend. He doesn't do it often," Williamson posted on X in November. "He works far more full weekends than he does otherwise. And maybe most importantly --- ask anyone who works for him, he's on duty 24/7 regardless." Even so, it's long been a sensitive issue for the FBI and Justice Department. The department's inspector general, for instance, last year faulted a since-retired FBI assistant director for taking government-paid trips to the official's "bucket list" countries --- travel that the watchdog said did include some professional meetings but also consisted of days of beach resort stays. And in 1993, President Bill Clinton fired then-FBI Director William Sessions after a harshly critical report alleged that he had "abused government travel for personal purposes." Patel, for his part, has said he complies with all policies, saying in a podcast interview in December that he travels "under the rules that have been established by the prior 20 years of Congress, DOJ and FBI."

A raucous celebration The latest kerfuffle started last week with media coverage indicating that Patel would be in Italy for the final days of the Olympics. Williamson responded to the reports by saying on social media that the trip was not personal in nature, had been planned months ago, would include meetings with a cross-section of officials and was consistent with the FBI's "major role" in Olympics security. Once in Italy, Patel posted pictures of his visit to the Milan Joint Operations Center, which he said was charged with protecting the security of American athletes and all those who traveled to Milan for the Winter Games. He also posted a photo of his meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Italy. He was in Italy on Sunday as the FBI, in the United States, was investigating the intrusion at Mar-a-Lago and continuing its search for Nancy Guthrie, kidnapped from her Arizona home weeks ago. Other concerns confronting American officials that day included an eruption of violence in Mexico and the potential of a Trump administration attack on Iran. While the hockey game was still underway, Patel posted on X that the FBI was dedicating all necessary resources to the Mar-a-Lago investigation. Later in the day, videos surfaced showing the FBI director, in a long-sleeve white USA shirt, partaking in the festive locker room celebration and holding out a cell phone as Trump speaks to the exuberant team. Patel, meanwhile, posted on his X account pictures of himself with the team, including one showing him holding an unfurled American flag and another in the locker room. By Monday, he resumed more of his standard work-related content, sharing posts on social media about falling crime numbers. _____ Associated Press writers Jim Mustian and Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.