hussars 1776 wrote:
Buy European, amirite, maghats? And be plenty sure to buy luxury German when using taxpayer money!
FBI Director Kash Patel is using new luxury BMWs for his travel that the agency purchased at his request, MS Now reported Monday, commissioning the German-made cars as the FBI director already faces a House investigation for his alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.
KEY FACTS
The FBI confirmed to MS Now that it has purchased an unspecified number of luxury armored BMW X5s for Patel’s use, with the outlet reporting Patel requested them for his travel in order to be less “conspicuous.”
The vehicles break with usual practices by FBI directors, who typically travel in Chevrolet Suburbans, though the U.S. government does use the same class of BMWs to transport State Department officials and diplomats in high-risk international areas.
The new fleet has drawn scrutiny from Patel’s critics, with former Justice Department official Stacey Young telling MS Now the move was “an embarrassment.”
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson defended the choice to MS Now by arguing the BMWs were chosen because they were more cost-effective than other upgraded vehicles the agency could have purchased—though he didn’t disclose how much they cost—claiming the move was “evaluated partly as a way to save taxpayers millions by picking cheaper selections or making cost structures more efficient.”
