FBI director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places on Election Day, telling senators he wasn’t certain the bureau is legally barred from doing so. “I don’t know that we can’t legally do it,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday. He said the FBI plans to station agents and intelligence analysts in field offices to handle election-security issues.Senator Richard Blumenthal repeatedly pressed Patel for an unequivocal commitment that agents wouldn’t be deployed to polling sites. Patel said, “The FBI will follow the law. If there’s a reason to go there, because there’s been a violation of law, we will, otherwise we won’t.” Senator Amy Klobuchar had earlier questioned Patel about DOJ guidance restricting federal law enforcement activity at polling places.
