Fury as NJ Sen. Cory Booker and Kash Patel clash in fiery shouting match

🔴 Cory Booker rages at President Trump's FBI director during hearing

🔴 It's Kash Patel's first oversight hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee

🔴 Contentious line of questioning ends in fiery shouting match

A tense U.S. Senate hearing quickly turned explosive as FBI Director Kash Patel and New Jersey's senior senator argued over unifying the country.

The furious exchange on Tuesday came as U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., questioned Patel during his first oversight hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Mr. Patel, in just eight months, you have assaulted the institutional integrity of the FBI,” Booker said.

The back-and-forth between the two men was relatively calm for a few minutes.

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Booker questioned Patel about the firings of FBI personnel, including some who have accused the director of engaging in political retribution.

Booker also pressed the Trump appointee with accusations about testimony involving classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and the reassignment of FBI agents to help with immigration enforcement cases.

In closing, the Democratic senator tore into Patel. Booker accused the FBI director of enabling corruption and said he would likely soon be fired.

“You’ve gutted the bureau of institutional knowledge and expertise,” Booker said.

Patel was given a chance to respond after Booker finished.

"That rant of false information does not bring this country together," Patel said before he was interrupted.

The shouting match began as Booker and Patel each tried to outdo the other.

Booker snapped back, "My God. My God. You're going to lecture me about dividing this country? I follow you on your social media posts that tear this country apart."

Patel rattled off what he said was a series of successes under his watch as the FBI has elevated its focus on illegal immigration, street crime, drugs and human trafficking.

"You are an embarrassment to the division in this country. It is my time. Your time is over," Patel said.

"Sir, you don't tell me my time is over. The people of New Jersey tell me what my time is," Booker said.

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The exchange only ended when committee Chair U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-I.A., banged the gavel and cut them both off.

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