FBI Director Kash Patel is defending his record and pushing back on criticism that he has politicized law enforcement.

 

The appearance Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee was the first oversight hearing of Patel’s young but tumultuous tenure.

 

Associated Press congressional reporter Stephen Groves attended the hearing and said the hearing provided a high-stakes platform for him to try to demonstrate that he is the right person to lead the FBI at a time of internal upheaval and mounting concerns about political violence after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

 

“Democrats really tried to hammer Patel for politicizing the FBI. At one point, Senator Cory Booker said that he was overseeing the destruction of the nation's premier law enforcement agency, and Patel really just went right back at senators,” Groves said.

 

Booker and Patel reached an explosive moment where they shouted over each other as Chairman Chuck Grassley attempted to cool down the intensity.

 

“Overall, though, Patel defended his work as the FBI director, saying that he's focused on violent crime. He defended how the agency has handled the Epstein files and how it has conducted the investigation into the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk,” Groves said.

 

Senate Republicans stood behind Patel throughout the hearing.