FBI Director Kash Patel has sued The Atlantic over its bombshell claims about drinking.
According to Reuters, Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and its reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick following the publication of an article alleging the director had a drinking problem that could pose a threat to national security.
The magazine's story, initially titled Kash Patel's Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job, cited more than two dozen anonymous sources expressing concern at Patel’s “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences” that “alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice.”
The article, which The Atlantic subsequently titled “The FBI Director Is MIA” in its online version, reported that during Patel’s tenure, the FBI had to reschedule early meetings. “
It further added that as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights” and that Patel “is often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions needed to advance investigations.”
Patel said in an interview with Reuters, “The Atlantic's story is a lie. They were given the truth before they published, and they chose to print falsehoods anyway.”
Meanwhile, The Atlantic stated, "We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”
Patel's complaint says that while The Atlantic is free to criticize the leadership of the FBI, “they crossed the legal line” by publishing an article "replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks $250 million in damages.
