A clash between Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Kash Patel, the nominee for FBI director, at a confirmation hearing sparked heated debate on social media. The dispute centered around Patel’s prior testimony about his involvement in a song about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot inmates.
Schiff questioned Patel about his previous statements, pointing out that Patel had said he had nothing to do with the recording of the song, but then told Steve Bannon on his podcast that he had helped to create the song, which included a recording of President Donald Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
The two engaged in a contentious exchange over the meaning of the word “we,” with Schiff arguing that Patel’s use of the word included himself, while Patel maintained that it did not. Patel claimed he had not personally participated in the recording or mastering of the song.
Conservatives on social media praised Patel’s responses and criticized Schiff’s questioning, accusing the senator of being partisan and petty. The hashtag #SchiffFailed began trending on Twitter, with many arguing that Schiff had missed an opportunity to represent “commonsense Californians.”
In response to the criticism, Schiff argued that he had won the exchange, stating that Patel had raised money for January 6 insurrectionists who attacked law enforcement. The exchange was just one of several fiery moments during the hearing, which also included questions about Patel’s record and statements made in his book, “Government Gangsters.”