Magazine has stood behind the story, which was written by veteran national security reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick
Kash Patel has followed through on a threat to sue the Atlantic and the author ofa story the magazine publishedthat included allegations of “excessive drinking” as well as “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences” while in charge of the law enforcement agency.
TheFBIdirector filed a defamation lawsuit in US district court for the District of Columbia that seeks $250m in damages.
Patel’s legal team accused the magazine and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick of publishing “a sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece” on 17 April.
“Defendants are of course free to criticize the leadership of theFBI, but they crossed the legal line by publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office,” the complaint reads. “Indeed, Fitzpatrick could not get a single person to go on the record in defense of these outrageous allegations, instead relying entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an ax to grind and also not in a position to know the facts.”
Patel’s lawyers accused the Atlantic of acting with actual malice – the legal standard for winning a defamation lawsuit against a public individual – because they had denied the claims that were to be published in the story. Patel’s representatives have also argued that the Atlantic did not give them enough time to respond.
“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend the Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,” a spokesperson for the Atlantic said.
The action represents only the latest example of the combative relationship between theTrump administrationand the press, with lawsuits flying in both directions.
Jesse R Binnall, a lawyer representing Patel,had sent a three-page, pre-publication letterthreatening a lawsuit to Fitzpatrick, a veteran national security correspondent, and compelling her to retain her communications relevant to the story.
The article published a promise from Patel that a lawsuit would follow publication: “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court – bring your checkbook.”
Source: Drudge Report
