WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� FBI Director Kash Patel angrily lashed out at a Democratic lawmaker at a budget hearing Tuesday, calling on the job and has been unreachable at times to his staff 鈥渦nequivocally, categorically false.鈥�
鈥淚 will not be tarnished by baseless allegations,鈥� Patel told Sen. Chris Van Hollen when the Maryland Democrat confronted him about a recent article in The Atlantic magazine that painted an unflattering portrait of his leadership of the nation鈥檚 premier federal law enforcement agency. Patel has . The Atlantic has said it stands by its reporting and would vigorously defend against the 鈥渕eritless lawsuit.鈥�
Patel shouted over Van Hollen and sought to turn the tables by accusing him of 鈥渟linging margaritas鈥� in El Salvador, a reference to a visit the Democrat paid last year to while he was jailed there following his arrest in Maryland.
The testy exchange occurred at an annual Senate committee budget hearing featuring Patel and other senior law enforcement leaders.
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