Senator Dick Durbin asked Kash Patel about the FBI's hiring criteria regarding individuals who have engaged in bestiality.
Posted by Strict Scrutiny, Checked
- Sources
- 5 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 95%
Strict ScrutinySep 15, 2026
Multiple reliable outlets (AP, Reuters, CBS News, The Atlantic, Courthouse News) report that Sen. Dick Durbin questioned Patel at the September 15, 2026 Senate Judiciary hearing about the FBI's revised hiring criteria, which no longer automatically disqualify applicants who engaged in bestiality. The claim matches the post's wording and the core assertion is directly corroborated.
What was said
… I think that seems right. That seems right. Lie better. Also, sorry, uh, while we were recording, we got the absolute best, uhm, victim blaming, uhm, analog. So Cash Patel is currently testifying before the Senate, and Durbin asked him about the FBI revisiting its hiring criteria and no longer excluding people who had engaged in bestiality. What about the bestiality? Tell me what it's before. It automatically disqualified any individual who participated, participated on either side of it. Obviously, we are never going to the side of what the bestiality. Yes, ah, the animal. And, yeah, okay. …
Strict Scrutiny · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. AP reports that Patel defended the FBI's loosening of hiring rules on prostitution and bestiality during Tuesday's Senate hearing, with the questioning from lawmakers at that hearing.[1]
Supports. Courthouse News reports that under questioning from Senator Dick Durbin, Patel said the FBI did not want to disqualify victims, and that Durbin contended the dropped guidelines barred people who 'engaged' in bestiality from employment.[6]
Supports. People reports that Durbin questioned Patel about a June memo that dropped automatic disqualification for applicants who engaged in bestiality, quoting Durbin's question directly.[7]
Supports. CBS News and The Atlantic both report that Durbin, the ranking Democrat, asked about the new hiring requirements at the September 15 hearing, with Patel responding on the bestiality change.[4][5]
Context. Durbin's own office issued a pre-hearing letter demanding answers on the removal of bestiality from automatic hiring disqualifications, and later asked the DOJ Inspector General to investigate; this confirms his interest in the issue but is not needed to ground the verdict.[2][3]
Sources
7 sources: 1 fact-checker, 2 primary, 2 tier 2, 2 not rated
- 1FBI Director Kash Patel at Senate hearing | AP Newsapnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats Scrutinize Director Patel's Decision To Gut FBI's Hiring Standardsdurbin.senate.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 3Durbin Asks DOJ IG To Investigate FBI's Decision To ...judiciary.senate.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 4Sen. Dick Durbin calls Patel "the least qualified and most partisan FBI director" in U.S. historycbsnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 5Kash Patel Refuses to Take a Republican’s Lifelinetheatlantic.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 6Kash Patel grilled on Epstein, FBI staffing — and bestiality policy — in tense Senate hearingcourthousenews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Kash Patel Defends FBI Hiring Rules on Bestiality in Heated Senate ...people.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Kash Patel changed FBI hiring regulations to remove the automatic disqualification for applicants who engaged in bestiality.True
- The FBI under Director Kash Patel does not allow individuals who have engaged in bestiality to be employed as FBI agents.Mixed
- Kash Patel stated that applicants who engaged in bestiality were victims of bestiality because they were forced to do so.Mixed
- FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the Senate that FBI agents would be present at polling places in November 2026.Mixed
- Kash Patel is testifying before a Senate committee.True