A Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Tuesday grew tense when Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) interrupted Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) mid-questioning, asking him, “Are you ready to shut up now?”
The exchange came during testimony from FBI Director Kash Patel, who faced pointed questioning from several Democratic members of the committee, including Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), before Booker’s turn.
According to video circulated from the hearing, Booker accused Patel of behaving erratically, at one point comparing him to “an out-of-control college kid pledging to a fraternity he couldn’t get into.” Patel responded by saying Booker had gotten his “presidential sound bite” and told him, “You are the biggest mockery in the United States Senate and you’re sitting next to Schiff,” a reference to Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who was seated beside Booker.
Booker shot back, “This is ridiculous! What a mockery you are!”
It was at this point that Grassley, who chairs the committee and turned 93 on Thursday, told Booker his time had expired and posed the now widely shared question asking whether he was ready to stop talking.
The hearing was part of a broader oversight session covering FBI operations, during which Patel also sparred with other Democratic senators over the course of the day.
Booker, a former presidential candidate, has drawn national attention in the past for lengthy floor speeches, including a widely covered 25-hour address, and for a sit-in on the Capitol steps with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in April 2025.
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