Senator Confronts Keystone Kash With Booze Test Ultimatum
The Daily Beast • • nation
Key Points:
- Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen challenged FBI Director Kash Patel to take an alcohol use assessment after raising concerns about Patel's alleged drinking on the job during a heated Capitol Hill hearing.
- Van Hollen publicly shared his own completed Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test results, showing moderate alcohol consumption, and urged Patel to do the same.
- The confrontation escalated with Patel accusing Van Hollen of misusing taxpayer funds for alcohol, citing a $7,128 campaign expense at Lobby Bar, which Van Hollen denied, stating it was paid with campaign, not taxpayer, dollars.
- Patel vehemently denied allegations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences, calling them "unequivocally, categorically false," while Van Hollen insisted the reports were documented and warranted scrutiny.
- Both parties agreed to take the alcohol test side by side, continuing their public feud amid serious accusations and mutual attempts to discredit each other.