One of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's top aides was caught on tape making a damaging admission about a case Kash Patel set in motion.
Carlton Davis, a special counsel in Pirro's office, told a House Republican lawyer during a Monday-night phone call that "this is our f--- up," an FBI agent testified in court Thursday, NBC News reported. The case targets former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, who were charged last week with lying to Congress about their knowledge of an investigation involving Hunter Biden's laptop.
The problem traces back to a sworn affidavit from Special Agent Bryan Witt, which relied on a congressional staffer described as being present for both officials' testimony. Witt acknowledged the staffer, House Judiciary Committee general counsel Steve Castor, was only there for Benavides' testimony.
Witt told Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui that he phoned Castor on Monday and that Davis and Pirro herself later joined the call. The audio was turned over to Benavides' attorney, Ron Safer, who read portions aloud in court and had Witt confirm them. According to Witt, Davis also asked Castor for help finding someone who actually witnessed the testimony. Witt said he still hasn't reached anyone who was in the room.
Later that night, prosecutors submitted a superseding complaint and a fresh affidavit that no law enforcement officer or judge had signed. Faruqui tossed it Tuesday.
Witt testified earlier in the week that he landed the assignment in July, after Patel sent a letter directing the bureau's Kansas City office to examine certain people, Floris among them. Patel's directive came a day after President Donald Trump used an Oval Office address to blame "rogue bureaucrats" for hiding information about Chinese interference in the 2020 election, which Trump still falsely insists was stolen. Floris and Benavides both worked on FBI efforts to protect that election and have drawn fire from Trump's allies for years.
Witt made clear he didn't want the job. "I had concerns that this would be viewed as political," he said. He also testified that Patel and both FBI deputy directors, Chris Raia and Andrew Bailey, kept tabs on the case through meetings, video calls and updates.