Durbin pushes for probe of Patel's "excessive use" of FBI aircraft after celebration with Olympic hockey team

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is calling for an investigation into FBI Director Kash Patel for what he calls "excessive use of FBI aircraft for personal travel."

Durbin, who is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said new whistleblower information has been provided to the panel about Kash's use of agency aircraft after he was seen partying with the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team following their gold medal win in Italy.

The senator said the whistleblower's information shows Patel's use of FBI aircraft impacted or delayed high-profile investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.

"Since his confirmation as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel has seemingly engaged in what amounts to irresponsible joyriding on DOJ and FBI-operated aircraft at the expense of the American taxpayer and to the detriment of ongoing Bureau operations," Durbin wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office and the Justice Department's inspector general.

The FBI said Patel's trip to Italy was long-planned official business.