Kash Patel Struggles to Recall Dylann Roof, Charleston Church Shooting During House Hearing
During a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel appeared to struggle with recalling details surrounding the 2015 mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where nine Black parishioners were murdered. This occurred during questioning from Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) regarding political violence and extremism.
The Exchange with Rep. Kamlager-Dove
The exchange began with Rep. Kamlager-Dove asking Patel whether he disputed that white supremacist Dylann Roof carried out the horrific mass murder. Patel responded by asking, "I'm sorry, Dylan Ruth?" After Kamlager-Dove corrected his pronunciation and repeated "Roof," Patel asked for "more information," leading to further questions about his knowledge of the widely reported event.
"You’re head of the FBI, you probably know this. If you don’t know, that's fine," Kamlager-Dove said to Patel.
Patel replied, "You can give me a reminder. I’ve got a lot in front of me.” Kamlager-Dove emphasized that the incident was "national news" before proceeding to list other instances of political violence by right-wing extremists.
Political Context and Reactions
The exchange comes amid heightened political tensions following the recent shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. While Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have been quick to blame the “radical left,” Democratic lawmakers have highlighted incidents of political violence targeting individuals across the political spectrum. This includes the 2022 attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the assassination of Democratic Minnesota House Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband.
Research on Political Violence
Studies, such as one conducted by the CATO Institute, suggest that political violence in the U.S. is more often associated with the political right. The study found that since 1975, excluding the 9/11 attacks, the political right accounts for 63% of politically motivated killings. Further, it stated that since 2020, "right-wing terrorists account for over half" of the 81 people killed in terror attacks on U.S. soil.
Patel's Response and Further Questioning
When Kamlager-Dove inquired whether Patel denied that the listed incidents took place, he responded, "I’ll take your presentation as accurate." Later in the hearing, after Kamlager-Dove mentioned other attackers like Robert Bowers (Pittsburgh synagogue shooting) and Patrick Crusius (El Paso Walmart shooting), Patel said he needed more information to refresh his memory regarding Roof, adding, "I’m not saying the other thing didn’t happen, I’m just asking for a little information."
