FBI Director Kash Patel crashed out with a series of angry, insult-laden denials during a Senate Hearing today.
His embarrassing performance was in response to questions about his conduct, including whether he drank to excess, forced subordinates to take polygraph exams and made false statements to Congress.
FBI Director Kash Patel lashed out at lawmakers during a congressional budget hearing, offering a brash defense to their questions about a story alleging that his “excessive drinking” has impaired his ability to do his job.
“It’s a total farce,” Patel said.…
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 12, 2026
The discourse got particularly ugly between Patel and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MA), who ended the back-and-forth telling Patel, “You are a disgrace, Mr. Director.”
More from the New York Times:
Mr. Van Hollen had pressed Mr. Patel about an article in The Atlantic that asserted that the F.B.I. director drank so much that it raised concerns about his ability to do his job or be reached quickly in a crisis. Mr. Patel has vehemently denied those claims, filing a defamation suit over the article.
“I will not be tarnished by baseless allegations,” Mr. Patel said angrily.
The director went on to accuse Mr. Van Hollen of inappropriate drinking, pointing to a visit the senator made to El Salvador last April to meet Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an immigrant the Trump administration mistakenly sent from Maryland to a high-security foreign prison.
“The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you,” Mr. Patel charged.
Mr. Patel’s accusation also mischaracterized Mr. Abrego Garcia, who has never been convicted of a sex crime or of being part of a gang. He briefly had a restraining order against him.
I was listening to the hearing live and, for the life of me, couldn’t figure out what Patel was twisting to come up with the “slinging margaritas” line.
What Patel was referring to were photos taken during the lunch Van Hollen had with Abrego Garcia. Government officials of El Salvador arranged to have margaritas placed on Van Hollen’s table to make Abrego Garcia’s life as a prisoner look less punishing.
The “$7,000 bar tab” Patel referenced was actually catering for an event paid for by Van Hollen’s campaign, not a “bar tab.”
Van Hollen ultimately baited Patel into agreeing to take a type of questionnaire used to help determine if a person has a drinking problem.
this is absolutely BONKERS behavior from the director of the FBI. it’s a disgrace to his position and the entire US government. pic.twitter.com/cjbXrj8St9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2026
VAN HOLLEN: Are you willing to take the audit test that members of the military take to determine whether they have a drinking problem
KASH PATEL: I’ll take any test you’re willing to take.
VAN HOLLEN: I’ll take it. You ready?
PATEL: Let’s go. Side by side. pic.twitter.com/G2PA7srqgR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2026
VAN HOLLEN: In your response to me earlier, where you had a blowup, you made a couple provably false statements
KASH PATEL: So did you
VAN HOLLEN: Do you know it’s a crime to lie to Congress?
PATEL: Maybe the next time you run up a $7,000 bar tab we can talk about it
VAN… pic.twitter.com/q3uwIpWNkM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2026
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington also had an observation or two on Patel’s work.
PATTY MURRAY: We need someone at this agency who is focused on solving criminal cases, not passing out branded bourbon or jetting around the globe. Your job is to be reachable. If you want to pass out liquor or pop bottles in a locker room, stick to podcasting.
KASH PATEL:… pic.twitter.com/cmCpUuuWcc
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2026
Discover more from The Randy Report
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.