FBI Director Kash Patel and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) recently got into a battle during a hearing in front of Congress that turned into the verbal and ideological version of a street brawl, as Schiff grilled Patel about statements he made concerning the mainstream media and his labeling them the “most powerful enemy of the United States.”
“I want to read you a statement that you made about the press. This was in 2024, when you said that the mainstream media was quote ‘the most powerful enemy that the United States has ever seen.’ You stand by that?” Schiff asked Patel during the hearing. Patel responded by saying, “Your colleagues put that on full display here today.”
That wasn’t the answer Schiff wanted to hear, so once again, he asked Patel, “Do you stand by that?” The director told the senator he was answering the question. “I’m answering the question. Your colleagues put that on full display by hacking around the same lies and persons,” Patel said. Schiff then felt it necessary to remind Patel that those words were his.
“And that’s what makes the majority of the mainstream media,” the director said, informing everyone in the room that he already answered the question. Once again, Schiff asked Patel if he stood by his statement that the media was the most powerful enemy of the U.S. “I always do,” Patel shot back.
“So, is it your view then that the media is a greater enemy than Iran?” Schiff asked. “That’s not what I said. I said the media that participates in lying, like you do, and the baseless attacks on me and my personnel and my loved ones is the most harmful institution to the United States of America because you don’t want to tell the truth,” Patel told the Democratic senator.
Schiff then asked Patel if the mainstream media that he was accusing of lying was the New York Times, if he considered them to be “part of the enemy.” Patel said, “I mean, I’m talking about the ones that you said are still –” he was interrupted by Schiff who asked again, “Are you talking about the New York Times?” Patel aggressively replied, “Aren’t you and them the ones to look for Russian collusion? Did you find Russia collusion? Is it in that envelope that you held up?”
Patel then jumped on Schiff asking him about illegal FISA warrants that were issued while Schiff was serving on the House Select Committee. The video footage captured of the back and forth ended on that note, with Schiff having egg all over his face and Patel looking like a hero who has deep convictions and refuses to back down on them.
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Schiff wasn’t the only one that Patel got into verbal sparring matches with during the hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Another heated exchange occurred between Patel and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) concerning the use of FBI resources and subpoenaing journalists. According to CNN, the director also answered questions pertaining to violence during immigration operations and documents in the Epstein files that have yet to be released.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video