San Angelo Trip at Center of Congressional Probe Into FBI Director’s Jet Use

SAN ANGELO, TX — A four-day trip to San Angelo is among the flights now under investigation by top House Judiciary Committee Democrats, who say FBI Director Kash Patel may have improperly used a government-owned Gulfstream jet for personal travel, media outlet CBS reported. 

In a letter sent Monday, Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California asked the FBI to provide Patel’s travel records, passenger information and related communications. The request follows media reports and public flight logs showing Patel used the FBI aircraft for trips tied to his girlfriend and political allies.

The lawmakers specifically questioned Patel’s travel to San Angelo, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. According to the letter, Republican donor Bubba Saulsbury hosted Patel at Boondoggle Ranch, described as a “scenic hunting resort” marketed as a place to avoid “unnecessary or questionable projects.”

The San Angelo visit was one of several flights the lawmakers say appear unrelated to Patel’s official duties. They also cited an Oct. 25 trip in which Patel flew the FBI jet to Pennsylvania to watch his girlfriend perform at a wrestling event at Penn State University, then flew with her to Nashville the following day.

“Your ‘date night’ had no apparent connections to your official duties,” the lawmakers wrote.

Democrats on the Judiciary Committee said Patel’s travel was revealed through public flight trackers and social media posts by his girlfriend. As minority members of the panel, they cannot subpoena the records but have asked the FBI to voluntarily provide them by Dec. 15.

“These planes are not yours,” Raskin and Kamlager-Dove wrote. “They are the property of the U.S. Government and are paid for by the American people.”

Questions about Patel’s use of the FBI’s Gulfstream jets surfaced earlier this year. In May, CBS News reported that Senate Democrats sought a Government Accountability Office review of his travel after flight data showed trips to Las Vegas, Nashville and other cities. Sources told CBS that Patel was on board for several personal weekend flights captured by public trackers.

Federal policy allows FBI directors to use government aircraft for personal travel to maintain secure communication, but they must reimburse the government at standard coach rates. Trips involving family or friends must also be repaid.

Democrats say Patel’s pattern of travel may not comply with those rules and warrants further review.