WE CAUGHT 'THEM' — FBI Director Kash Patel Announces Major Arrest
Patel Says This Country Has Dramatically Increased Its Spying on the U.S.
Before the hearing devolved into a clown show staring at the panel’s Democrats, FBI Director Kash Patel dropped a chilling update regarding a growing national security threat to the United States.
Foreign intelligence services are expanding their espionage and other clandestine operations inside the United States, with China presenting the most significant counterintelligence challenge, Patel told the Senate this week.
Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patel said the FBI has intensified efforts to identify and disrupt foreign intelligence operatives associated with China, Russia, and Iran as those governments become increasingly aggressive in targeting U.S. institutions, technology, and national security information.
China remains the bureau’s primary counterintelligence concern, Patel said, while Russia and Iran also continue to conduct significant intelligence operations targeting the United States.
“Our adversaries, including Russia, the PRC, and Iran, continue to undermine our core institutions, and they are becoming more aggressive and more capable,” the bureau has noted in congressional testimony describing the threat.
But instead of focusing on the threats to Americans, ranking Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois and other Democratic senators challenged Patel over personnel cuts, changes to FBI hiring standards, and allegations that the bureau has become politicized under his leadership.
Still, Patel told lawmakers that the FBI recorded 72 counterintelligence arrests during fiscal 2026 through the date of his testimony, representing a 9% increase over the comparable previous period.
The bureau also coordinated the removal of 80 suspected foreign intelligence threats from the United States, according to figures Patel presented to Congress, a 125% increase from the previous period.
China accounted for a significant share of the FBI’s activity.
Patel said approximately 60 of 130 counterintelligence arrests during the previous 18 months involved China-related espionage or other alleged illegal activity. Earlier this year, the FBI told Congress it had coordinated the removal of 62 foreign intelligence threats through its China program alone.
The FBI has active China-related counterintelligence investigations throughout its network of 55 field offices, according to previous testimony from Patel.
Federal officials say the Chinese government uses a wide range of methods to obtain sensitive information, including traditional intelligence officers, cyber operations, recruitment of insiders and efforts to acquire American intellectual property and emerging technologies.
The bureau has also accused Chinese-linked actors of targeting universities, corporations, government agencies and current and former members of the U.S. military.
“In February, the FBI arrested a former U.S. Air Force pilot accused of supplying unauthorized defense information to Chinese military aviators — a betrayal that put both our service members and our national security at risk,” he said.
One major area of concern is economic espionage.
In January, the FBI secured what it described as its first artificial-intelligence-related economic espionage conviction after a former Google engineer was accused of stealing AI trade secrets for the benefit of companies in China.
The bureau has also pursued cases involving alleged efforts to smuggle biological materials into the United States. Patel previously told lawmakers that seven Chinese researchers had been charged in such cases, with five subsequently deported.
Russia remains another major counterintelligence concern.
Federal authorities have repeatedly accused Russian intelligence services of conducting cyberattacks, recruiting individuals with access to sensitive information and attempting to influence political and public debate in the United States.
Iran, meanwhile, has been the focus of heightened FBI attention because of alleged cyber operations, intelligence collection and threats targeting U.S. officials and other individuals.
The FBI created an Iran Threats Mission Center to coordinate counterterrorism, counterintelligence and cyber investigations involving Tehran, the Washington Times reported.
Patel argued that the increase in arrests and removals demonstrates that the bureau has placed greater emphasis on counterintelligence operations since he took over as director.
He told senators that foreign espionage activity remains at unusually high levels and maintained that the FBI is uniquely positioned to confront the threat because it possesses both intelligence-gathering and law-enforcement authorities.
The oversight hearing also featured sharp disagreements over Patel’s leadership of the bureau.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, highlighted FBI statistics showing increases in several categories of arrests and defended Patel’s record since becoming director.
"🔥 POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE! — THE 218-213 VOTE FORCES AOC INTO AN UNTHINKABLE POSITION!"
The Load Forecasting Enhancement Act cleared the House this week as lawmakers approved a broader package of 14 bills dealing with energy reliability, public health, drug enforcement, critical minerals, tourism, and AM radio.
H.R. 9332, sponsored by Republican Rep. Troy Balderson of Ohio and Democratic Rep. Rob Menendez of New Jersey, passed under suspension of the rules by voice vote.
The legislation would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create regional joint boards with state public utility commissions to study electric load forecasting and identify practices intended to improve reliability and affordability.
Those boards would examine how utilities predict future electricity demand and develop recommendations aimed at improving the accuracy, oversight, and transparency of those forecasts.
The bill also requires FERC to report the boards’ recommendations to Congress and directs state regulatory authorities to consider incorporating those recommendations into their own forecasting practices.
Supporters argue that more accurate projections could help utilities avoid unnecessary infrastructure spending while preparing the electric grid for growing demand from data centers, manufacturing and other large electricity users.
House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders have increasingly focused on load growth as artificial intelligence infrastructure and other power-intensive industries place new demands on the nation’s electric system.
Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta said during earlier consideration of the bill that more accurate demand projections could lead to more cost-effective infrastructure development.
The Load Forecasting Enhancement Act was only one component of a much broader legislative push by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie said the collection of bills was intended to address illicit drugs, grid reliability, domestic supply chains, tourism and access to AM radio.
Among the other measures approved was the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would direct the Department of Transportation to require automakers to include easily accessible AM radio in new vehicles without charging drivers an additional fee.
The House also approved the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would place xylazine into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act while preserving legitimate veterinary uses.
Another measure, Tyler’s Law, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to examine whether hospital emergency departments should routinely test overdose patients for fentanyl.
Lawmakers also passed the Stop Pills That Kill Act, aimed at strengthening Drug Enforcement Administration oversight of pill presses and components that can be used to manufacture counterfeit controlled substances.
On energy infrastructure, the High-Capacity Grid Act would require FERC to establish standards for advanced transmission conductors used on certain new or upgraded transmission lines.
The Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act would require the Department of Energy to study how artificial intelligence and high-performance computing could improve the capacity, reliability and efficiency of the bulk power system.
Other legislation focused on recovering critical minerals from contaminated sites and discarded materials as policymakers seek to strengthen domestic supply chains.
The House also approved legislation extending the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant program through 2029, with that measure passing in a recorded 343-79 vote.
The American Music Tourism Act would direct federal tourism officials to promote travel to music venues, concerts, sporting attractions and other entertainment destinations across the country.
Another bill would reauthorize federal programs aimed at combating tick-borne and other vector-borne diseases through fiscal year 2030.
Several of the measures passed under the House’s suspension procedure, which is generally used for legislation expected to receive broad support and limits debate while requiring a two-thirds vote when a recorded vote is taken.
H.R. 9332 itself had already demonstrated bipartisan support during committee consideration, advancing from the Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this year without opposition in a 47-0 vote, The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said in a press release.
The House passage moves the Load Forecasting Enhancement Act another step forward as Congress considers how to prepare the electric grid for rapidly changing demand and new technology.
Ilhan Omar Ethics Case Dropped Despite $30M Filing Error
A congressional ethics watchdog recommended dismissing allegations against Rep. Ilhan Omar over financial disclosures that dramatically overstated her household wealth.
The Office of Congressional Conduct voted 5-1 to recommend ending the case, according to a confidential report reviewed Wednesday.
The Minnesota Democrat’s original 2024 disclosure listed household assets ranging between $6 million and $30 million.
That filing drew scrutiny because Omar’s previous disclosures showed dramatically smaller holdings connected mainly to her husband’s businesses.
Omar later amended the report, cutting the couple’s disclosed assets to between $18,004 and $95,000.
Despite that multimillion-dollar discrepancy, OCC investigators found insufficient evidence supporting allegations that Omar filed false or incomplete information.
The report said there was not “substantial reason to believe” Omar violated applicable financial-disclosure requirements.
Omar’s office immediately celebrated the watchdog recommendation as vindication after months of Republican criticism.
“From day one, we have been clear: the Congresswoman is not a millionaire,” her office said.
“This vote clearly underscores that the Congresswoman did nothing wrong,” the statement continued.
Her office also accused “the far right” of trying to “manufacture controversy” surrounding the disclosure mistake.
The disputed valuations centered largely on businesses controlled by Omar’s husband, former political consultant Tim Mynett.
Omar’s 2023 disclosure valued Mynett’s Rose Lake Capital stake between $1 and $1,000.
Her 2024 filing then placed that same Washington-based venture-capital management business between $5 million and $25 million.
The earlier disclosure valued Mynett’s California winery, eStCru LLC, between $15,001 and $50,000.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer demanded financial records from Mynett in February as Republicans intensified scrutiny.
Comer’s committee noted both businesses rose from at most $51,000 to potentially $30 million within one year.
The Kentucky Republican questioned whether undisclosed investors might use Mynett’s companies to seek influence involving a sitting congresswoman.
Comer demanded documents explaining the firms’ finances, investors, ownership interests and dramatic reported valuation increases.
“It’s not possible. It’s not. I’m a money guy. It’s not possible,” Comer said about the increase.
Omar’s office maintained the original valuations resulted from accounting mistakes rather than hidden wealth or misconduct.
Her representatives said the filing used incomplete information and listed business assets without properly accounting for liabilities.
After liabilities were considered, both Mynett companies were listed with no net value on Omar’s amended filing.
The amended disclosure nevertheless reported between $102,502 and $1,005,000 in income from those businesses during 2024.
The winery generated another $2,501 to $5,000, according to the corrected disclosure.
Omar’s lawyer told investigators lawmakers frequently rely on accountants and other professionals when preparing financial disclosures.
The attorney maintained “there is nothing untoward, and nothing illegal has occurred” regarding the mistake.
Omar previously rejected claims she was wealthy, saying she “barely have thousands let alone millions.”
Her newest 2025 disclosure again portrays a dramatically smaller financial picture than the original multimillion-dollar filing suggested.
That report lists household assets between roughly $20,000 and $125,000, alongside student-loan and credit-card debts.
Omar lists between $15,001 and $50,000 in student debt, while Mynett reports similarly ranged credit-card liabilities.
Republicans argue those swings justify continued scrutiny despite the congressional conduct office recommending dismissal of this specific allegation.
It does not erase the original filing, which Omar amended after acknowledging the reported valuations were incorrect.
Nor does the OCC decision resolve separate questions raised by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee.
The Office of Congressional Conduct independently reviews misconduct allegations before potentially referring matters to the House Ethics Committee.
Its board’s 5-1 recommendation asks the House Ethics Committee to dismiss this particular financial-disclosure allegation.
For Omar, the decision provides political ammunition to argue Republican accusations about her finances were exaggerated.
For conservatives, the enormous difference between $30 million and under $100,000 remains difficult to dismiss as insignificant.
Oversight’s inquiry arose amid broader Minnesota social-services fraud investigations, but its letter did not establish Omar’s involvement in fraud.
The watchdog decision represents an important victory for Omar, but it does not make the disclosure discrepancy disappear.
Republicans counter that lawmakers remain responsible for financial forms they certify and that enormous discrepancies deserve transparency.
For now, Omar can claim an ethics victory while Republicans continue demanding answers about the numbers that sparked scrutiny.
