Kash Patel Refuses to Look At Capitol Guards In Tense Showdown With Democrat Adam Schiff: 'I'm Looking At You'

Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and Kash Patel, President Trump's nominee for FBI director, clashed during Patel's confirmation hearing Thursday.

The at-times heated exchange culminated with Schiff demanding that Patel turn around and look at Capitol Police officers. "I'm looking at you, you're speaking to me," Patel replied.

Schiff had been asking about Patel's promotion and support of the January 6 Choir, a recording of prisoners convicted in the January 6 capitol riots. When Patel admitted promoting the recording and getting it to chart on Billboard, Schiff replied with a mocking tone.

"Yes, it did, isn't that great that people who violently attacked police have a number one song thanks to you," Schiff said. "That's something to really be proud of."

Schiff then asked Patel to turnaround and face the Capitol Police officers in attendance for security.

"I want you to look at them and tell them you're proud of raising money off people who assaulted their colleagues," Schiff said. "They're right there; tell them how proud you are."

Patel characterized the comments as lies and, at one point, blurted out, "I did not make a single dime out of this!"

Schiff asked that grand jury testimony made by Patel regarding the Mar a Lago documents case be part of the confirmation process. Schiff also said that Patel was little more than a "yes" man.

"His willingness to say 'yes' when everyone else would say 'no', to whatever the president wanted," Schiff said. "That's why he's sitting here."

Schiff had previously said that Patel should not be confirmed, telling Meet the Press that the Senate should never confirm "someone whose top priority is political vendettas, who believes in Deep State conspiracy thinking," adding that Patel was unqualified for the position.

Patel has been a vocal critic of the FBI. He said in different interviews that, should Trump return to office, he would "come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections."

Patel previously shared a video on social media showing an image of Schiff's head on an object being launched out of a catapult and posed with it.

Patel is a former congressional aid and served in the first Trump administration as a national security staffer.

President Trump said during the campaign that Patel's book, Government Gangsters, is a "blueprint" for his administration. The book calls for "comprehensive housecleaning" of the FBI, which includes firing "the top ranks." It is unclear whether Patel has the votes to be confirmed, but Patel has promised to rebrand the FBI headquarters as a "museum of the deep state."

Patel seeks to replace current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who had several years left on his 10-year appointment as FBI head but announced he will step down when Trump takes office following several attacks from the Republican. Trump nominated Wray in 2017 after firing James Comey, but their relationship soured before Trump left office in 2021. Trump called Wray's resignation a "great day for America" and said he had done everything to "interfere with the success and future of America."