FBI Director Kash Patel launched into a heated takedown of Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) at a Tuesday hearing, lobbing multiple insults at a lawmaker who is also a frequent target of President Trump’s.<\/p>\n
Schiff’s questioning regarding Patel\u2019s handling of the Epstein files devolved into personal attacks, with Patel telling Schiff his job was to protect the “weaponization of intelligence from the likes of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have countlessly proven you to be a liar in Russiagate, in Jan. 6. You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate, you are a disgrace to this institution and an utter coward,\u201d Patel said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not surprised that you continue to lie from your perch and put on a show so you can go raise money for your charade. You are a political buffoon at best,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut all you care about is a child sex predator that was prosecuted by a prior administration,” Patel added, referring to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and saying prior administrations \u201cdid squat” on the case.<\/p>\n
The back-and-forth came as part of a combative Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at which the Patel was testifying.<\/p>\n
Schiff kept talking throughout the exchange, but was barely audible over Patel. It was unclear whether Schiff’s microphone was still functioning. <\/p>\n
Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) repeatedly slammed the gavel as ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) urged him to \u201ctake control of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grassley then shouted, \u201cBoth of you be quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the hearing, Schiff said Patel’s outburst was about saving his job.<\/p>\n
“Kash Patel came to the Senate today not to do his job, but to save his job. The hard-working men and women of the FBI deserve a Director who isn\u2019t just performing for an audience of one,” he wrote\u00a0on the social platform X<\/a>.<\/p>\n