FBI Director Kash Patel has directly responded to the recently filed bribery allegations against a former aide to Governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, which are related to an alleged scheme involving contracts for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“While Americans were under lockdown and in dire need of PPE, Linda Sun and Chris Hu profited – purportedly enriching themselves while advancing the interests of the CCP,” Patel stated on X. “This constitutes corruption that jeopardized lives. The FBI will not accept public officials who betray their country.” In response to Patel’s statement, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino remarked, “Revisit the last sentence. Make a note of it.” Both Sun and her spouse, Chris Hu, were indicted on Wednesday.
In addition, the FBI is investigating the potential source of a sensitive Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that was leaked to the media last week, following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The assessment was likely disclosed to undermine President Donald Trump’s position, as it indicated that the attacks probably only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by a few months. However, it also noted that the intelligence informing the assessment was of “low confidence,” a fact that was not reported by the media outlets.
During a subsequent press conference to address the strikes, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the FBI was investigating the matter, suggesting that charges could be forthcoming if a leaker is identified. Concurrently, GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), are eager to uncover the leaker, with Graham proposing that the leak might have originated from a Democratic member of Congress, as Trump had suggested earlier in the week.
“Currently, they are in search of a leaker. Congress is also involved — how does this process function? They are now examining Congress. Initially, I believed it was someone from the Pentagon, but now it is being suggested that it might be a Congressional member. Do they access a computer to retrieve this information, or how does this operate?” Fox News host Jesse Watters inquired of Graham during a Thursday interview.
“You receive the report. Members of Congress on specific committees obtain the initial assessment. I can assure you that I am not a leaker,” Graham replied. “Certain committees receive information regarding the initial assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency. Someone leaked that assessment to imply that the operation was not as Trump described it,” the senator elaborated.
“There is a political agenda at play. One does not need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce this. It is someone who aims to undermine Trump. Could it be a member of Congress? Possibly. Regardless of your title, if you disclose classified information, you ought to face imprisonment,” he stated.
