FBI Denies Probe Into Atlantic Reporter Over Patel Story

The FBI has denied reports that it is investigating Atlantic journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick over her story detailing alleged misconduct by former FBI Director Kash Patel. According to MS NOW, the FBI launched a criminal leak investigation focusing on Fitzpatrick after her report cited multiple anonymous sources describing Patel’s excessive drinking and unprofessional behavior.

The Atlantic published a piece by reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick headlined, 'The FBI Director Is MIA,' which cited multiple anonymous sources telling the outlet that the FBI director had an emotional outburst related to difficulty logging into a computer system, has had bouts of excessive drinking, and has been absent enough to prompt security concerns. Patel quickly filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic over what he called a defamatory hit piece.

FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson denied the investigation into Fitzpatrick, stating that every time there’s a publication of false claims by anonymous sources that gets called out, the media plays the victim via investigations that do not exist. The Atlantic has stood by its story, and MS NOW reported that the alleged FBI probe could be used to access Fitzpatrick’s phone records and examine social media contacts.

Patel also described finding the FBI's 'burn bag' room full of sensitive documents tied to the Russiagate investigation. This is not the first time Patel’s bureau has tried to intimidate journalists, as in March 2024, the FBI began investigating New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson over reporting about Patel allegedly using bureau resources to expense security and transportation for his girlfriend.

According to HuffPost, Kash Patel has found himself tangled up in yet another high-profile scandal following a report from MS NOW on Thursday, which said he had ordered polygraph tests for more than a dozen former and current members of his security detail. The report, citing two people briefed on the development, described the embattled director as being in “panic mode,” and said he had been isolating himself from senior FBI leaders.

The report was just the latest in a string of incidents that have landed Patel in hot water over the last several months. Those include an incident at the Winter Olympics where Patel was recorded chugging beer in a locker room with Team USA, a bombshell report in The Atlantic which detailed incidents of excessive drinking and erratic behavior, and a subsequent report from The Atlantic that claimed Patel had distributed self-branded bourbon bottles to FBI staff and civilians while on official business.

FBI spokesman Ben Williamson declined to comment to MS NOW about whether Patel had ordered the polygraph tests but denied claims that he had isolated himself from senior staff. “I’ve been in the usual operational leader meetings with him every day this week … it’s false,” Williamson told the outlet. Critics were quick to jump on this latest report, with many saying Patel was 'paranoid' and questioning why he would feel the need to polygraph his security team if The Atlantic story wasn’t true, as he claimed in his $250 million defamation lawsuit against the magazine.