Transcript
Senator shiff: Mr Patel early in this hearing Senator Durban asked you about the January 6 choir of inmates whose song You promoted and here’s what you said I did not have anything to do with the recording I did not have anything to do with the recording do you stand by that testimony Mr Patel Senator what I said was I didn’t do the recording you said you didn’t have anything to do with the recording which is interesting because here’s what you told Steve Bannon on his podcast so what we thought would be cool
is if we captured that audio and then of course had the greatest president president Donald J Trump recite the Pledge of Allegiance then we went to a studio and recorded it mastered it digitized it and put it out as a song now releasing exclusively on the war room we we we if you had nothing to do with it Mr Patel why did you tell Steve Bannon all listeners that you did that’s why it says we as you highlighted yeah and you’re part of the we right when you say we that includes you doesn’t it Mr Patel not in every instance
well that’s new so when you said we you didn’t really mean you is that your testimony not unless you have a new definition for the word we oh okay I I always thought we included the person who pronounced the word but maybe not well you also said this Mr Patel we were able to capture the recording thanks to their courageous singing and we were able to take it to a studio so let me ask you Mr Patel after saying we took it to a studio did you take it to a studio me personally no after you said that we digitized and recorded it and all that
did you take it to a studio and digitize and record it me personally no okay so you are lying to Steve Bannon and his audience is that what you’re saying no I was using the proverbial we appropriately as you oil we oh I see um and so you certainly promoted the hell out of it though didn’t you I don’t know what that means but I promoted the heck out of raising money for families in need with promotions on social media and and saying you were going to get this to number one on the Billboards right Mr Patel I think it did yes it did yes it
did isn’t that great people who violently attack police have a number one song thanks to you Mr Patel that’s something to be really proud of now you’ve claimed you’ve claimed Mr Patel you didn’t know about any of these people in the choir is that right I did not know about the violent offenders and I did not participate in any of the violence in and around tell me January tell me Mr Patel what due diligence did you do to find out who was in the choir before you promoted their beautiful music these people assaulted law
enforcement what due diligence did you do Senator I didn’t record it myself so you did no due diligence before you promoted this song by these violent felons is that what you’re telling US senator I did not record that myself so you’re being considered for director of the FBI and and here you did no diligence to find out whether people you were associating with now the president of the United States in song were convicted of attacking police officers is that who we want running the FBI I want you to turn around there are
capital police officers behind you they’re guarding us take a look at them right now turn around I’m looking at you you’re talking to me no no look at them 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 ass that assaulted their colleagues that Peppers sprayed them that beat them with polls tell them you’re proud of what you did Mr battel they’re right there
they’re guarding you today tell them how proud you are that’s an abject lie and you know it I’ve never never ever accepted violence against law enforcement I’ve worked with these men and women as you know you glor and I did not make a single dime out of it song well let me let me how about you ask ask if I have their back let’s see about that let me ask you this Mr Patel let me ask you this if an FBI director promoted a song a people who sprayed pepper spray in the face of an FBI agent would you say they were fit to
be director Mr yes or no would they be fit to be director I am fit to be the director of the FBI if if you were the FBI director and you promoted a song with someone who beat an FBI agent with a poll would you say you were fit to be FBI director Mr Schiff I am fit to be FBI director based on my 16 years you did all these things Mr Patel you can say oh I support forcement I I decri violence against law enforcement you could say all that it’s what you did Mr Patel that matters it’s what you did that matters well let me ask you about
something else that you did Mr Patel did you claim that Donald Trump Declassified all the documents at Mar Lago did you CLA did you claim that in what proceeding to the public ever did you tell anyone that Donald Trump Declassified all the documents at from publicly available information president Trump issued a declassification order on a variety of material I just asking you did you tell the public did you tell anyone did you make the claim that Donald Trump had Declassified those hundreds of classified documents that were Mara did
you make that claim public from my best of my recollection I said president Trump issued a declassification order to a large number of documents yeah and and were you present when he Declassified all the marago documents Senator I’m not saying he Declassified all the marago documents I said president Trump Declassified a large number of documents and I would hope this committee and the rest of Congress would want to get those documents Amer Mr P Mr Patel before a president or or anyone Declassified documents wouldn’t you want
to know whether making the public would would cause sources to be killed wouldn’t you want to know that before you just declare they’re all Declassified wouldn’t that be the responsible thing for president to do it was the responsible thing for us to do that’s why we Declassified the and did Donald Trump died and did Donald Trump ever ask any of the agencies who produce those documents whether declassifying them would put people’s lives at risk did he ever do that to your knowledge cash Patel I don’t know that he didn’t do you no that’s the
problem isn’t it that’s the problem isn’t it so let me just ask Mr chairman if you would Mr Patel has said he has no problem he would support the release of his grand jury testimony in that case I would ask you Mr chairman ranking member to join me in requesting with Mr Patel’s approval the release of those grand jury transcripts and I would also ask Mr Patel whether you support the release of volume two as it pertains to you of the Special council’s Report any reference to to you and the report to your truthfulness will you support the
release to this Committee of those sections of volume two Special council’s Report I support following the law and providing whatever information the law requires well you you said to the Wall Street Journal that you support transparency here’s your chance Mr Patel you support release of that to this committee yes or no s uh your times up uh before I call on Senator Tillis I have letters here from law enforcement groups representing 310,000 officers supporting Mr Patel’s uh nomination and uh they’d be like the
association of police organizations National Police Association United Federation of police officers uh police Ben benevolent Association United Coalition for Public Safety I’ll put these in the record
During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on January 30, 2025, Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI Director, faced intense questioning from Democratic senators, particularly Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA). Schiff challenged Patel on his past statements and actions, expressing concerns about Patel’s suitability for leading the FBI. In a notable moment, Schiff directed Patel to turn and face the Capitol Police officers present, highlighting the gravity of the position and the responsibilities it entails.
Patel, a 44-year-old lawyer and staunch Trump ally, previously criticized the FBI’s involvement in controversial investigations. During the hearing, he focused on the government agencies and upholding the rule of law. Despite Democratic opposition, Patel received strong support from Republican senators, making his confirmation likely.
The January 6 Choir Controversy and Kash Patel’s Defense
The exchange between Adam Schiff and Kash Patel during the confirmation hearing was a clear example of Schiff’s relentless effort to undermine those who threaten the entrenched interests of the deep state. Schiff, a longtime mouthpiece for the intelligence apparatus that has repeatedly deceived the American public, attempted to twist Patel’s words and paint him as unfit for the role of FBI Director—not because Patel lacks qualifications, but because he poses a direct challenge to the corrupt establishment.
Schiff’s aggressive line of questioning about the January 6 choir song was a transparent smear tactic, designed to fabricate a false narrative rather than engage in an honest discussion. Patel rightfully defended himself, making it clear that he never condoned violence, never profited from the song, and was being targeted simply for his association with Trump and his mission to reform the FBI. Schiff, unwilling to engage in good faith, continued his badgering, showing his true allegiance—not to the American people, but to the weaponized bureaucracy that has long suppressed political dissent.
The most revealing moment came when Schiff demanded Patel “turn around and look at the Capitol Police officers.” This theatrical stunt was nothing more than an attempt to emotionally manipulate the public while ignoring the broader reality: the FBI, under Schiff’s preferred leadership, has been used as a political weapon to target American citizens.
Clinton Precedent: The Court’s Ruling on Presidential Power to Declassify Documents
On the issue of classified documents, Schiff once again used deception to push his narrative. His feigned concern about declassification ignored the fact that Trump, as president, had full authority to declassify documents. Schiff’s real fear isn’t about national security—it’s about preventing the truth from reaching the American people. His desperate attempts to frame Patel as a liar and unfit for the FBI position show just how terrified the deep state is of losing control.
Meanwhile, as Schiff spewed his scripted talking points, Republicans stood by Patel, citing overwhelming support from law enforcement groups representing over 300,000 officers. Unlike Schiff, who has spent his career protecting the interests of unelected bureaucrats and intelligence operatives, Patel has a record of defending the rule of law and fighting for transparency. His confirmation would mark a major victory against the corrupt institutions Schiff and his allies work so hard to protect.
The hypocrisy of Adam Schiff’s grandstanding during Kash Patel’s confirmation hearing becomes even clearer when viewed in the context of past legal precedent—specifically, the Clinton sock drawer case. In Judicial Watch v. National Archives and Records Administration, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that a president has sole discretion over what constitutes personal versus presidential records and what can be declassified. This ruling stemmed from Bill Clinton’s retention of White House audio recordings in his sock drawer, which he claimed as personal property. The court affirmed that the National Archives had no authority to seize those tapes, establishing the precedent that a sitting president has complete authority to determine the status of documents in their possession.
Yet Schiff, a deep-state operative obsessed with maintaining the intelligence community’s grip on power, completely ignored this precedent during his interrogation of Patel. Instead, he pushed the baseless narrative that Trump’s declassification decisions were reckless, despite the fact that legally, Trump had full authority—just as Clinton did. Schiff didn’t care about declassification when it benefited a Democrat, but the moment a president outside the establishment’s control exercises the same authority, it suddenly becomes a national crisis.
Schiff’s selective outrage over classified documents has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with maintaining control. The intelligence community—working hand in hand with figures like Schiff—has long weaponized “classified information” to suppress political opponents and protect its own corruption. By attacking Patel, Schiff isn’t seeking accountability; he’s defending a broken system that uses secrecy as a shield for its abuses.
Patel, who has spent years exposing the intelligence agencies’ malfeasance, represents an existential threat to Schiff’s deep-state allies. His confirmation would mark a turning point in the fight to dismantle the politicization of federal law enforcement. Schiff’s desperate smears, emotional manipulation, and willful ignorance of legal precedent are nothing more than the flailing of an establishment terrified of losing its power over the American people.
