{
  "id": 13189784,
  "title": "Durbin asks watchdog to probe new FBI hiring standards on bestiality, prostitution",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/durbin-asks-watchdog-to-probe-new-fbi-hiring-standards-on-bestiality",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T19:18:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/durbin-fbi-hiring-standards-bestiality-prostitution-doj-inspector-general/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, has asked the Justice Department's internal watchdog to investigate the FBI's recent changes to its hiring standards. According to Durbin, the lowered standards could undermine FBI operations and pose a significant risk to the bureau's integrity. CBS News first reported in August that the FBI quietly altered its hiring rules in June, marking a sudden shift from previous practices.\n\nPreviously, candidates were automatically disqualified from working at the FBI if they had engaged in bestiality, prostitution, or theft from an employer. However, the new guidelines now allow for consideration of applicants with such histories under certain conditions. For example, individuals who engaged in bestiality, animal cruelty, or 'animal crush' before the age of 18 can still be considered for an FBI job. For prostitution-related offenses, job applicants will not be automatically disqualified if it was more than 10 years ago and they have not hired sex workers three or more times. Theft from employers is also now permissible if it happened more than three years prior.\n\nDuring a recent hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel appeared to struggle to defend the changes, stating that the prior policy automatically disqualified anyone who participated in bestiality on either side. Republican Senator John Kennedy, in turn, questioned whether the policy disqualified the animal involved in such acts. Current and former FBI agents, as well as legal experts, have expressed deep concern over the changes, indicating they are troubled by the FBI's ability to recruit new talent. They are also puzzled by the bureau's justification for the shift, noting that applicants can disclose personal issues that may affect the results of their polygraph test before taking it.",
  "summary": "Sen. Dick Durbin asked the DOJ's watchdog to investigate why the FBI lowered its hiring standards for candidates who may have engaged in bestiality, prostitution or employment theft.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}