Cory Booker and Kash Patel spar over recent firings at the Justice Department

FBI director nominee Kash Patel clashed with Sen. Cory Booker when the New Jersey Democrat demanded to know if he knew anything about President Trump’s recent firings of Justice Department attorneys.

“Twelve prosecutors, career prosecutors, were involved in an investigation and prosecuting the cases against President Trump and were recently fired,” Mr. Booker said. “Some of those that were involved were involved in the MAR a Lago classified documents case.”

Mr. Booker then asked if Mr. Patel was aware of any plans to punish or terminate FBI agents or other personnel associated with Trump investigations.

Mr. Patel responded that he had nothing to do with any of the recent terminations at the DOJ and that he was not aware of any plans to punish FBI agents or personnel associated with past investigations targeting Mr. Trump.

Mr. Booker also attempted to get Mr. Patel to tell him what he told a grand jury when Mr. Patel was compelled to testify as a witness in a special counsel investigation of Mr. Trump keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Mr. Patel refused to reveal what he told the grand jury, saying he would need a transcript of his testimony in front of him.

“Sir, did you or did you not commit a crime?” Mr. Booker asked.

“Senator, I did not commit a crime,” Mr. Patel said.

Mr. Booker shot back: “Then why won’t you tell us what you testified to?”

“Because it occurred over the course of three weeks. I don’t have the ability to recall everything I testified to,” Mr. Patel said.

On Wednesday, Democrats sent a letter to acting Attorney General James McHenry demanding the release of materials from the special counsel investigations of Mr. Trump that refer to or pertain to Mr. Patel.

The senators apparently did not receive the materials.