Keystone Kash Begs GOP Chair to Cut Short Dem’s Grilling

C-SPAN3 FBI Director Kash Patel twice appealed to a Republican senator to stop a Democratic colleague from grilling him, but was promptly shut down.

Patel, 46, testified on Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he was pressed about a host of issues, including whether his bureau plans to investigate a Russian oligarch paying for Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration.

The Trump appointee also suggested the bureau may send federal agents to polling places in the November midterms.

California Sen.

Adam Schiff’s questions seemed to irk Patel, who tried but failed to have Chairman Chuck Grassley put a stop to them.

The tension rose when Schiff, 66, circled back to a question that Sen.

Cory Booker had asked Patel about a February New York Times report that Patel had assigned a SWAT team to protect his 27-year-old girlfriend, aspiring country music singer Alexis Wilkins.

After that story was published, the Times reported that the FBI “began investigating” reporter Elizabeth Williamson.

Justice Department officials ultimately did not pursue the case.

“Mr.

Booker tried to get an answer from you, a very simple answer, about the reporter who wrote an article about potential misuse of an FBI SWAT team by yourself—” Schiff began as Patel cut him off.

“Didn’t happen.

Total lie,” he said.

When Schiff tried again, Patel interjected once more: “You repeated a lie, so I’m not going to answer it.” Schiff then addressed Grassley.