FBI Director Kash Patel on Wednesday got into a tense exchange with Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean after she questioned him for previously claiming he could not recall going on Holocaust-denier Stew Peters’ podcast.
During a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, in which Patel discussed his fiscal year 2026 budget request, Dean grilled the ardent Trump supporter and right-wing conspiracy theorist about claims he made during his Senate confirmation hearing.
“You repeatedly denied having any involvement as a private citizen in the firing of FBI officials who engaged in the prosecution against January 6th insurrectionists, the violent rioters who beat and killed Capitol Police officers and whom you referred to as ‘political prisoners.’ Since then, multiple whistleblowers have come forward, and we know that you likely committed perjury,” the Democrat from Pennsylvania said to Patel. “At the same hearing, you claimed you were not familiar with Stew Peters, an antisemitic Holocaust denier, despite the fact that you appeared on Mr. Peters’ podcast eight separate times.”
“Should we worry more about your memory or your veracity?”
“We should worry more about your lack of candor,” Patel fired back. “You’re accusing me of committing perjury. Tell the American people how I broke the law and committed a felony! Have the audacity to actually put the facts forward instead of lying for political banter so you can have a 20-second donation hit!”
“You’re failing, not me,” he added. “I’ll do what I’ve always done and represent the American people, defend this country, and make sure the Constitution is always upheld and the FBI is never weaponized. Maybe you should do the same.”
“So, you agree with the president when he says he doesn’t know if he should uphold his constitutional duty?” Dean asked Patel, a reference to President Donald Trump over the weekend not committing to upholding parts of the Constitution such as due process.
Patel: “If you want to just keep putting words in my mouth, the TV cameras are outside.”
Dean: “This is an unserious moment, sadly, for the FBI.”
Patel: “More so for you.”
