Gavin Newsom Gives Kash Patel Brutal New Nickname Following Report He Flew His Girlfriend To George Strait Concert On FBI Jet

Following a report that FBI Director Kash Patel flew his girlfriend on an FBI jet to see a George Strait concert, California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked him by giving him an apt new nickname.

According to The New York Times, which cited flight records, Freedom of Information Act documents, and interviews with more than a dozen current and former FBI and law enforcement officials, Patel has frequently combined official travel with personal trips involving his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins.

The Times also reported that Patel and Wilkins flew on an FBI Gulfstream jet to Philadelphia for a concert featuring George Strait and Chris Stapleton, where they watched the show from a private suite estimated to cost between $35,000 and $50,000. According to the paper, Patel declined to disclose who paid for the suite.

In response to a post from liberal podcaster Brian Allen about the Times report, Newsom spun the name of former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover with the following dig at Patel:

"Why are taxpayers paying to fly J. Edgar Boozer’s girlfriend around in a private jet? WASTE, FRAUD, ABUSE!"

You can see his post below.

People loved it—and criticized Patel themselves.

Patel has faced criticism for months about his activities on and off the clock.

Last year, Patel lashed out at the "pathetic reports" that he used a government jet to fly to watch Wilkins perform at a wrestling event, saying that "going after the people doing great work, my personal life, or those around me is a total disgrace."

The news of Patel's use of the government jet also came as news outlets reported that Patel fired a longtime FBI employee who was head of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, which is responsible for managing major security threats and overseeing the agency’s fleet of aircraft.

Patel complained that "we will not be distracted by baseless rumors or the noise from uninformed internet anarchists and the fake news" but did not address the report, first published by The Bulwark, alleging that he used a government jet to attend his partner’s performance.

Nor did he mention reports that Steven Palmer—the FBI veteran he'd fired—was forced out after Patel grew frustrated over the intense media scrutiny.