FBI Director Kash Patel has initiated a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine on Monday, disputing claims made in a recent publication about his drinking habits and professional conduct.
The magazine responded by defending its journalism and stating it will “vigorously defend against the meritless lawsuit” while standing behind its reporting.
The controversial piece, published Friday on The Atlantic’s website, was written by Sarah Fitzpatrick, who suggested Patel fears for his position and noted that “he has good reasons to think so — including some having to do with what witnesses described to me as bouts of excessive drinking.”
According to the magazine’s reporting, Patel’s conduct, which includes “both conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences,” has created concern among FBI and Department of Justice personnel. Fitzpatrick has also been named as a defendant in the legal action.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington’s district court, refutes these behavioral claims and takes issue with the publication’s use of unnamed sources. Fitzpatrick noted in her article that she spoke with over two dozen individuals, providing them anonymity to “discuss sensitive information and private conversations.”
“Defendants cannot evade responsibility for their malicious lies by hiding behind sham sources,” the legal filing states.
