WASHINGTON ― Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s FBI nominee who helped produce and market a recording of the so-called “J6 Choir” that Trump went on to play repeatedly at his rallies, on Thursday, claimed he had no idea who the singers were.
Dick Durbin, the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from Illinois, asked Patel about the “Justice for All” recording that featured inmates of the District of Columbia jail in March 2023. Seventeen of the 20 behind bars on the day of the recording were charged with assaulting police officers, with some already having been convicted.
“My understanding is that the performers on this ‘J6 Choir’ were the rioters who are in prison,” Durbin said.
“I’m not aware of that, sir,” Patel responded.
Durbin followed up: “You weren’t aware of who was on the record?”
Patel answered: “No, senator.”
Soon after the song was released for download, Patel boasted of its success. “Buh Bye Miley, Taylor, Rihanna, and all the rest who spent Millions trying for the coveted Number 1 spot,” Patel wrote in a March 21, 2023, social media post. “Hello new Music Mogul @realDonaldTrump. We just took a flame thrower to the music industry.”
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Trump went to play the recording ― which includes the Jan. 6 domestic terrorists singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” inter-spliced with Trump reading the Pledge of Allegiance ― at his rallies. He would stand at attention, sometimes even saluting, as images of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol played on video screens.