FBI chief Kash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic and its reporter, Sarah Fitzpatrick, following the publication of an article on Friday 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 about 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 ¡±as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights¡± and that Patel ¡°is ?often away or ?unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions needed to advance investigations.¡±
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