Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., was one of several Democratic senators who pressed FBI director nominee Kash Patel during his Thursday confirmation hearing on whether his loyalty was with law enforcement or people who attacked them at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Following other questions about Patel’s involvement with the “J6 choir,” which included offenders who assaulted officers that day, Schiff asked for more specific details on the nominee’s role with this group. Patel told senators he was not familiar with individual members of the choir. In a 2023 Truth Social post, he described the choir as "individuals who have been incarcerated as a result of their involvement" in the attack. The two had a contentious exchange. At one point, Schiff told Patel to turn around and face the Capitol Police officers in attendance for his hearing. “Look at them!” Schiff said. “I want you to look at them if you can, if you have the courage to look them in the eye, Mr. Patel, and tell them you're proud of what you did. Tell them you're proud that you raised money off of people that assaulted their colleagues, that pepper sprayed them, that beat them with poles.” Patel didn’t turn around and said, “I've never, never ever accepted violence against law enforcement.” In a different part of the hearing, Patel said he disagreed with President Donald Trump's pardon of Jan. 6 offenders who committed violent acts against police. A loyal Trump supporter, Patel is a former public defender turned Justice Department prosecutor. He served in Trump’s first term as chief of staff to acting defense secretary Christopher Miller. In interviews, he has said he wants to reduce the size of the national intelligence community, and shut down the FBI’s headquarters in Washington. He’s also repeated the false narrative that Trump won the 2020 election.
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