FBI Director Kash Patel concluded one of the most combative Senate hearings in recent memory Tuesday with a fusillade of attacks against Sen. Adam B. Schiff, calling him “a coward” and “political buffoon” and a “disgrace to this institution.”
Fed up with repeated jabs about his job performance, FBI firings and handling of major events — attacks which he said were based on false information — Mr. Patel found an outlet for his ire in Mr. Schiff, a long-time Trump opponent whom Mr. Patel said has repeatedly misled the country.
“You are the biggest fraud ever to sit in the United States Senate. You are a disgrace to this institution and an utter coward,” Mr. Patel said.
He also called the senator “a political buffoon, at best.”
Mr. Schiff, for his part, said Mr. Patel will never be more than “an internet troll.”
The words came amid a shouting match — where Mr. Patel easily outvoiced the senator — sparked by Mr. Schiff’s attempting to prod the FBI director over what information has been released about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr. Schiff said the Trump administration gave convicted Epstein collaborator Ghislaine Maxwell a transfer to a cushier prison in exchange for her agreeing to talk with the Justice Department about the case.
The transcript of that interview was released and Mr. Schiff insinuated the deputy attorney general failed to pursue a claim Ms. Maxwell made that some current Cabinet members would be embarrassed by information about Epstein.
Mr. Patel said the Trump administration was the one that brought new charges against Epstein in the last term and has now released more information about the investigation into Epstein than any previous administration.
The furor seemed to embarrass other senators of both parties. One told Chairman Chuck E. Grassley to “take control.”
Mr. Grassley slammed his gavel.
“Both of you be quiet,” the Iowa Republican thundered.
Sen. Thom Tillis, North Carolina Republican, urged Mr. Patel not to engage in those sorts of exchanges, saying he was only fueling Democrats’ fundraising.
“Don’t take the bait,” Mr. Tillis said.
Mr. Schiff has long been despised by Republicans for his handling of the unfounded allegations of “collusion” between President Trump and Russia.
Mr. Schiff was a member of the House intelligence committee at the time, and Mr. Patel was a senior staffer on the GOP side of that committee.
Mr. Patel also said Mr. Schiff manufactured a whistleblower who spurred the first impeachment against Mr. Trump over his dealings with Ukraine.
Mr. Schiff has called Mr. Patel a “sycophant” and “political hack.”
Mr. Patel, for his part, had previously called Mr. Schiff “the worst criminal in Congress in the last 250 years.”
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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