Controversial FBI director Kash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and its reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, claiming the publication of a story alleging he had a drinking problem that could pose a threat to national security, was “all false”.
According to Reuters, the story was first titled “Kash Patel’s Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job.” It cited dozens of anonymous sources claiming Patel’s “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences… alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice”.
The title of the story was changed to “The FBI Director Is MIA” online, but Reuters reports that it “could not independently establish the accuracy of the article or why the publication changed the title.”
The story further claimed that sources said the FBI had to reschedule early meetings “as a result of his alcohol-fuelled nights” and accused Patel of being “often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions needed to advance investigations”.
In The Atlantic‘s story it was revealed that the White House, the Department of Justice and Patel denied the allegations.
The story includes a statement from the FBI attributed to Patel: “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook.”
Speaking with Reuters, Patel said, “The Atlantic‘s story is a lie.
“They were given the truth before they published, and they chose to print falsehoods anyway.”
The Atlantic said in a statement: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”
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Kash Patel sues over drinking allegations
Patel’s legal complaint says the publication “crossed the legal line” with the story that is “replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office”.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks $US250 million ($348 million) in damages.
Patel is also alleging his attempts to communicate with The Atlantic before the story went public went ignored; the media outlet did not respond to a letter from Patel’s lawyer, Jesse Binnall, to senior editors and The Atlantic‘s legal team.
Binnall had reached out in letter, asking for more time to refute the 19 allegations Fitzpatrick told the FBI’s press office she would be publishing.
According to Reuters, who has seen the attempted correspondence, the letter was sent shortly before 4pm on Friday, local time, and the story was published at 6:20pm.
Patel’s court documents say, “The defendants’ conscious decision to ignore the detailed, specific, and substantive refutations in the Pre-Publication Letter, and their refusal to give a reasonable amount of time for the FBI and Director Patel to respond, is among the strongest possible evidence of actual malice.”
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