FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t walk into Wednesday’s appropriations hearing unprepared — he walked in ready for war. And good thing, too, because instead of dealing with matters like national security, cybersecurity threats, or the actual 2026 FBI budget, he was greeted by Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and a political circus act that turned into a full-on brawl.
Dean, a former Trump impeachment manager and a recurring face of the Democrats’ post-2020 grievance machine, couldn’t resist the opportunity to turn the hearing into a partisan hit job. With theatrical flare, she asked whether she — as one of Trump’s “enemies” — should expect the FBI at her door. It was a transparent performance, not a serious inquiry, and Patel responded accordingly.
“You want to know who was targeted by a weaponized FBI?” Patel fired back. “Me.”
That line landed like a right hook.
.@FBIDirectorKash highlights some of the agency’s biggest achievements since he became director:
“We have apprehended three of the FBI’s Most Top 10 Wanted Fugitives in the World – THREE in less than three months.”pic.twitter.com/9T7FqnKsAm
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 7, 2025
Dean’s strategy backfired almost instantly. When she doubled down by accusing Patel of committing perjury — without evidence — the temperature in the room spiked. Her claim was rooted in vague references to whistleblowers alleging Patel, while a private citizen, was involved in firing FBI officials connected to January 6 investigations. But facts were in short supply, and Patel made that painfully clear.
HOLY CRAP!
Kash Patel just went OFF!!!
“We should worry about your lack of candor. You’re accusing me of committing perjury. Have the audacity to actually put the facts forward instead of lying for political banter so you can have a 20-second donation hit.”
BOOM!!! pic.twitter.com/1PR8HsNrYa
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 7, 2025
“We should worry about your lack of candor,” he said sharply. “You’re accusing me of committing perjury. Have the audacity to actually put the facts forward instead of lying for political banter so you can have a 20-second donation hit.”
It was a brutal takedown — delivered not with rage, but with the confident precision of someone who’s had enough of D.C.’s weaponized theatrics. Patel didn’t just defend himself. He exposed the shallow game Dean was playing: a soundbite for social media, cloaked in moral outrage.
.@FBIDirectorKash COOKS @RepDean for accusing @POTUS of weaponizing the FBI:
“Ma’am, you want to know who was targeted by a weaponized FBI? Me.” pic.twitter.com/cGzpeLgpv1
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 7, 2025
Dean’s tired January 6 references only underscored how little the Democratic playbook has evolved. America has moved on. The electorate has shifted. The scoreboard shows who’s in charge — and it isn’t Dean’s party. But they’re still stuck in the past, recycling the same narratives, hoping something sticks.
And this is what they don’t understand: today’s Republican leadership — especially those aligned with Trump — don’t play defense anymore. They punch back harder. The old rules of polite retreat are gone. If Democrats want to throw jabs, they better be ready to eat uppercuts.
In one clip, Dean:
– Decries a weaponized FBI after four years of weaponization under Biden
– Defends a Judge who broke the law shielding an illegal from federal law enforcement
– Lies about J6
Quite the trifecta
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) May 7, 2025
