周二，当帕特尔出现在预算听证会的小组面前时，美国联邦调查局主任卡什·帕特尔与参议院拨款委员会的最高民主党人就该主任涉嫌有问题的行为进行了争论。
该委员会的资深成员克里斯·范·霍伦(Chris Van Hollen)谈到了帕特尔涉嫌滥用美国联邦调查局资源的报道，以及《大西洋月刊》(The Atlantic)的一篇报道，该报道称他有“多次过度饮酒”和工作表现问题。
“我们所了解到的美国联邦调查局发生的事情一点也不正常，”范·霍伦说。“帕特尔局长，当你要求更多的纳税人资源时，我们不能无视关于你在美国联邦调查局的不当行为的可信的、极其令人不安的报告。”
帕特尔上个月说根据报告，他“从未在工作中喝醉过”。帕特尔就这篇文章起诉了《大西洋月刊》，要求赔偿2.5亿美元。
范·霍伦后来在报告中质问帕特尔，根据《大西洋月刊》的报道，他是否有“过度饮酒的情况”
帕特尔予以回击，称该报告是“彻头彻尾的闹剧”
在一次激烈的交流中，帕特尔在没有证据的情况下声称，范·霍伦一年多前与基尔马·阿布雷戈·加西亚“一起喝玛格丽塔酒”，加西亚是一名移民，政府在法庭上说他被错误地驱逐到萨尔瓦多。
这个时刻是指什么时候范·霍伦前往萨尔瓦多会见阿布雷戈·加西亚他被驱逐到臭名昭著的塞科特监狱。当时，这位参议员说，在萨尔瓦多政府监控的会议期间，萨尔瓦多官员在他们开会的桌子上放了一些玻璃杯，里面似乎有液体，顶部有盐或糖的边缘。
范·霍伦坚持说他和阿布雷戈·加西亚都没有碰过那些杯子，并说根据萨尔瓦多官员拍摄的会议照片，很明显他们没有碰过。
帕特尔还面临着关于他在美国曲棍球队2月份赢得金牌后不久就参加了该队在意大利的更衣室庆祝活动的问题，这一举动引起了对他使用美国联邦调查局资源参加活动的审查。
据说，曲棍球迷帕特尔在观看比赛前曾在意大利开会，他在周二的听证会上重申了这一点，称他在那里是为了确保从中国引渡一名顶级网络犯罪分子，并帮助奥运会安保。
美国联邦调查局发言人本·威廉姆森(Ben Williamson)今年2月在社交媒体上表示，帕特尔的行程是事先安排好的。他补充说，“任何其他个人费用都可以报销。”
帕特尔被问及2007年的选举调查密歇根和亚利桑那州以及乔治亚州富尔顿县没收了2020张选票，今年早些时候，美国联邦调查局称这是法院授权的行为。调查是在唐纳德·特朗普总统多次说有选民欺诈在2020年的选举中这导致了他的选举失败。
佐治亚州、亚利桑那州和密歇根州的案件进行了诉讼，2020年的选举没有欺诈行为。
“至于执行法律搜索过程，我们去了联邦和州治安法官，就像我们在任何情况下做的那样，并收到了可能原因的裁决，以推进我们正在进行的任何调查，”帕特尔说。"至于选举的整体安全，这对我们来说是最重要的。"
在他的开幕词中，帕特尔赞扬了美国联邦调查局的男男女女，列举了一系列的成就，包括美国联邦调查局特工在一次袭击中的快速反应上个月在白宫记者协会晚宴上开枪.
帕特尔与司法部其他机构负责人一起，就这些机构的2027年预算请求发表了意见。帕特尔是由缉毒署署长特里科尔，美国法警服务主任格拉迪塞拉尔塔和酒精，烟草，火器和爆炸物主任罗伯特塞卡达。
当帕特尔最后一次于2025年9月在国会山作证时，他面临着来自民主主义者关于保守派活动家和有影响力的查理·柯克遇刺以及他对杰弗里·爱泼斯坦档案的处理。
FBI Director Kash Patel denies drinking allegations during Senate budget hearing
FBI Director Kash Patel sparred with the Senate Appropriations Committee's top Democrat over the director's alleged questionable behavior when Patel appeared before the panel for a budget hearing on Tuesday.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the ranking member of the committee, addressed reports of Patel's alleged misuse of FBI resources and a story in The Atlantic that alleged he has had "bouts of excessive drinking" and job performance issues.
"What we are learning about what's happening at the FBI is anything but normal," Van Hollen said. "Director Patel, as you ask for more taxpayer resources, we cannot look away from the credible, extremely troubling reports about your misconduct at the FBI."
Patelsaid last monththat he's "never been intoxicated on the job," following the report. Patel sued The Atlantic over the article, demanding $250 million in damages.
Van Hollen later grilled Patel on the report asking Patel if, per The Atlantic report, he had "episodes of excessive drinking."
Patel shot back, calling the report a "total farce."
In a heated exchange, Patel then claimed without evidence that Van Hollen was "slinging margaritas" just over a year ago with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the migrant who the government said in court was erroneously deported to El Salvador.
The moment is a reference to whenVan Hollen traveled to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia, who had been deported against a judge's orders to the notorious CECOT prison. At the time, the senator said at one point during the meeting monitored by the El Salvador government, El Salvador officials put glasses on the table where they were meeting that appeared to have liquid inside with salt or sugar rims on top.
Van Hollen insisted that neither he nor Abrego Garcia touched those glasses and said it was clear they didn't based on photos of the meeting taken by El Salvadoran officials.
Patel also faced questions about when he joined in on Team USA hockey's locker room celebrations in Italy shortly after the team won the gold medal in February -- a move that drew scrutiny about his use of FBI resources to attend.
Patel, a hockey fan, was said to have had meetings in Italy prior to attending the game, which he reiterated during Tuesday's hearing, saying he was there to secure the extradition of a top cybercriminal from the China and to help with Olympic security.
Ben Williamson, an FBI spokesperson, said on social media in February that Patel's trip had been previously scheduled. He added that "any other personal expenses would be reimbursed."
Patel was asked about election probes inMichiganandArizonaas well as theseizure of 2020 ballots in Fulton County, Georgia,earlier this year -- an action the FBI said was court-authorized activity. The investigations came after President Donald Trump has repeatedlysaid there wasvoter fraudin the 2020 electionthat contributed to his election loss.
The cases in Georgia, Arizona and Michigan were litigated and there was no fraud in the 2020 election.
"As to the execution of legal search processes, we went to federal and state magistrates and, like we do in any case, and received ruling of probable cause to advance any investigations we're working on," Patel said. "As to the overall security of the election, that is of primary importance with us."
In his opening statement, Patel lauded the men and women of the FBI, listing off a litany of accomplishments including a quick response by FBI agents during ashooting at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner last month.
Patel is appearing alongside other Department of Justice agency heads regarding the agencies' 2027 budget requests. Patel is joined by Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole, United States Marshals Service Director Glady Serralta and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Director Robert Cekada.
When Patel last testified on Capitol Hill in September 2025, he faced questions fromDemocratsabout the assassination of conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk and his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
