Patel first responded to a CBS News report about an internal memo issued in June that removed certain automatic disqualifications for people applying to the FBI. Previously, the FBI automatically disqualified people who acknowledged engaging in acts of bestiality. Now, if those acts took place before the age of 18, it is no longer an automatic disqualification from being hired. “Thank you for bringing this up, so we can get to the truth of the matter,” Patel told Durbin. “What we did was we didn’t want to punish victims of bestiality, victims of trafficking. We didn’t want it to be an automatic disqualification for the FBI to consider you a victim of these horrible, heinous acts. They still have to follow the same rigorous standards and the same application process.” prevented these great Americans from serving, or at least being considered to serve.” Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, also pressed Patel about changing hiring standards. “Why would you go into bestiality?” Kennedy asked Patel. Patel responded that he was advised to change hiring practices and approved them. “I say this with respect,” Kennedy said. “The person who recommended it, why didn’t he just say, ‘What planet did you parachute from?’ “That was my initial response, Senator,” Patel said. “But then they explained to me and showed me cases where people were forced to do it and had submitted a request to the FBI, so I thought they should be considered. It’s not an automatic disqualification.”
