Democrats thought they had an easy target in FBI Director Kash Patel during Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. Fresh off criticism for his handling of the Charlie Kirk investigation, Patel was expected to be on the defensive. Instead, he turned the tables, leaving the Democrats red-faced and fumbling.
Durbin, the longtime Illinois Democrat, came in with what he thought was a “gotcha” moment. He pressed Patel on an unsigned Department of Justice memorandum related to the Epstein client list, suggesting that the lack of a signature made it suspect. “DOJ and FBI left behind an unsigned memorandum stating there is no incriminating client list,” Durbin said. “Why was this memorandum unsigned?”
It should have been a straightforward attack. But Patel, a former federal prosecutor with years of experience navigating Washington’s shark tank, didn’t flinch. Instead, he fired back with a one-liner that instantly flipped the narrative: “Would you have preferred I used autopen?” The jab referenced the Biden White House’s infamous use of an autopen for official signatures, a detail conservatives haven’t forgotten.
The room erupted, and Durbin was visibly caught off guard. He stammered, “Did…Why was that…” before Patel smoothly cut him off with a calm, authoritative explanation. “The memorandum had the insignia of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation… We conducted an exhaustive search of everything related to the Epstein cases,” Patel said, making it clear that nothing had been swept under the rug.
WATCH: Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin: Why did the FBI release an unsigned memo about Jeffrey Epstein "stating there was no incriminating client list"?
FBI Director Kash Patel: "Would you have preferred I used autopen?"
Durbin was left stunned. pic.twitter.com/fyscdncYob
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 16, 2025
This wasn’t just a clever comeback. It was Patel showing that he wasn’t going to play along with partisan theatrics. Democrats wanted to use the high-profile hearing to paint him as incompetent or evasive. Instead, Patel showed mastery of the facts, poise under fire, and a willingness to hit back at political double standards.
The optics could not have been worse for Durbin and his colleagues. They set out to embarrass Patel over Epstein, FBI firings, and his management of the Kirk case. But all they managed to do was give Patel a nationally televised platform to demonstrate confidence and strength at a time when conservatives are demanding accountability from federal law enforcement.
In short, Democrats brought their knives, but Patel brought a shield and a sword. And by the end of the exchange, it was clear who walked away with the upper hand.
Leave a Comment