Incoming California Senator Adam Schiff (D) called on the Senate Sunday to reject [1] President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Schiff’s opposition marks the latest chapter in a years-long feud with Patel, who has played a key role in exposing alleged abuses within federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Committee member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) during the hearing.
The committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol resumes public hearings at the US Capitol on Oct. 13, 2022 in Washington DC.. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY
Schiff, who will officially take office as a senator in January, has been critical of Patel since 2017, when Patel helped reveal that officials in the outgoing Obama administration had “unmasked” the identities of Americans caught on foreign wiretaps.
That practice was linked to the prosecution and subsequent firing of Trump’s first National Security Advisor, Mike Flynn, over now-discredited allegations of collusion with Russia.
In his capacity as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee at the time, Schiff attempted to counter Republican claims that the FBI had abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to surveil Carter Page, a Trump campaign aide.
You panicking Adam? You’re panicking LOL!!
Your Russia lies are coming to light.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) December 2, 2024 [2]
However, a Department of Justice Inspector General report later validated Republican concerns, confirming the FBI had misled the FISA court during its investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Schiff’s feud with Patel deepened during the first impeachment of President Trump, where Schiff led the House Intelligence Committee’s inquiry.
Democrats attempted to tie Patel to Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lawyer at the time, suggesting Patel acted as a “back channel” for the Trump administration.
These claims failed to produce evidence of wrongdoing, but the impeachment committee’s report nonetheless included phone records showing Giuliani had contacted Patel.
Critics called this a violation of attorney-client privilege and an infringement on the president’s Sixth Amendment rights.
The tension escalated further during the House’s January 6 Committee investigation.
Patel was again targeted for his alleged connections to Trump’s inner circle, but the committee ultimately found no evidence of illegal activity.
Despite this, the committee delayed releasing Patel’s interview transcript, prompting accusations of bias and a lack of transparency.
Schiff has publicly criticized Patel’s nomination, framing it as a threat to the FBI’s independence.
Patel has stated his commitment to rooting out corruption and holding accountable those who violated laws to undermine Trump’s presidency.
Schiff and other Democrats, however, have portrayed Patel’s plans as an effort to pursue political retribution.
Some critics argue that Schiff’s concerns may be self-serving. Patel has previously called for investigations into individuals he labeled “conspirators” who abused government powers during the Trump administration.
This could include Schiff himself, who has faced allegations of misleading the public about supposed Russian “collusion” and mishandling evidence collected by the January 6 Committee.
Kash Patel to @JackPosobiec [3]: “They—Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff, and company—even though they knew they had in black and white under oath written evidence that exonerates Donald Trump, they did the same thing that they did in Russiagate. They went to the media and they lied about it.” pic.twitter.com/coGkxsVoAx [4]
— Human Events (@HumanEvents) April 1, 2024 [5]
Schiff also faced backlash for failing to preserve materials from the committee that could serve as evidence in ongoing criminal cases.
Kash Patel calls out Adam Schiff. pic.twitter.com/0BXf9utK9j [6]
— ⚔꧁⊹٭𝙻!¥!𝙽٭⊹꧂⚔ (@Serendipityy45) April 30, 2022 [7]
As of Monday morning, Schiff had not commented on Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, for federal crimes dating back to his role on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company.
⚠️HOLY SHIT⚠️
Joe Pardoned Hunter for all crimes he might be involved in starting on Jan 1, 2014.
Why did he pick that date?
Because 2014 is when the CIA/State Dept took over Ukraine. 2014 is when Hunter’s biolab company, Metabiota, began looking for coronaviruses in Ukraine.… pic.twitter.com/njSc4r5yYb [8]
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) December 2, 2024 [9]
If the President issues a pardon in a case in which he or his family are implicated, the American people need to know whether it is part of an attempt to obstruct justice. This bill would make that possible and serve as a powerful deterrent. pic.twitter.com/kvIeORqvC3 [10]
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) April 19, 2018 [11]
Schiff had previously argued during Trump’s first impeachment that there was no basis to suspect corruption in Hunter Biden’s appointment to the Burisma board, framing Trump’s calls for an investigation as an abuse of power.
Trump’s nomination of Patel signals a broader push to reform federal institutions and address what the incoming administration views as systemic bias and corruption within the FBI.
Patel, a former national security prosecutor and senior intelligence official, is expected to face a contentious confirmation process in the Senate.
Looks like Kash Patel is going to be REALLY busy as soon as he becomes FBI Director.
Among all the other pressing issues, there is also THIS:
IRANIAN INFILTRATION at the HIGHEST LEVELS of our GOVERNMENT.
And, wouldn’t you know, Adam Schiff is connected to one of the players. pic.twitter.com/IsOKBpMjOu [12]— MAGA Kitty (@SaveUSAKitty) December 1, 2024 [13]