There appears to be some dissension within the ranks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with reports that some FBI agents are not too keen on theirlatest assignment. This is in reference to alleged orders to hunt down leakers who have made Director Kash Patel look bad.
All this stems from an article published byThe Atlantic. Author Sarah Fitzpatrick released an article titled, 'The FBI Director Is MIA' in April. The controversial piece touched onPatel's behaviour, as well as issues like misuse of the bureau's resources and drinking issues.
Patel has already responded to the matter, filing adefamation suitagainst Fitzpatrick andThe Atlantic.However, theFBI is undertaking more measureswith the intent of finding the leakers, especially after Fitzpatrick revealed that even more sources within the government reached out to her to provide information.
However, some FBI agents have expressed being uncomfortable carrying out Patel's leak hunt, according toMS NOW. They believe that the directive is a bit extreme. However, they are also aware that if they do not carry out the orders, they risk losing their jobs.
'They know they are not supposed to do this,' one source said in a report byThe Independent. 'But if they don't go forward, they could lose their jobs. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.'
The investigation includes the need to obtain the phone records of Fitzpatrick to find out who she has been talking to. Aside from that, the agency could run her name through the FBI databases or examine her social media contacts to possibly identify the leakers.
Despite claims that an investigation on the Patel case is underway, the FBI says otherwise. According to FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson, no such probe exists and the reporter is not being investigated.
Williamson emphasized, 'This is completely false. No such investigation like this exists and the reporter you mention is not being investigated at all.'
He continued by lashing out at the media whenever a controversy arises, pointing out how journalists portray themselves as victims.
'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 FBI spokesperson added.
Source: International Business Times UK
