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| FBI Director Kash Patel sues The Atlantic (TMZ) |
Of all the pain Donald Trump has inflicted on our government, what have been the two most damaging assaults? My vote goes to the following:
(1) Trump's utter disregard for the U.S. Constitution, which he swore to protect and uphold. This perhaps has been most brazenly reflected in his determination to seek investigations and prosecutions of his perceived political enemies. The Fourth Amendment holds that criminal charges be based on probable cause. But Trump has ignored that constitutional requirement and replaced it with prosecutions based on presidential whims. Public reports show that Trump has targeted roughly 470 individuals, organizations, and institutions for retribution, including numerous investigations and prosecutions aimed at political opponents, former officials, and critics.
(2) Instead of filling his cabinet and other high-level positions with experts and distinctly qualified individuals who have demonstrated strong ethics and judgment, Trump has gone a different route. He has filled critical roles with sycophants and loyalists, many of whom tend to be corrupt and almost laughably incompetent.
What Trump appointee best personifies the president's worst instincts? There is a lot of competition for that "honor," even though "strong candidates," such as former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, recently have been forced out of their jobs. But we are reserving this honor to those still serving in the administration -- and with apologies to Pete Hegseth, RFK Jr., J.D. Vance and a seemingly endless list of candidates -- we must give the nod to FBI Director Kash Patel. The man with the perpetually bugged eyes (known by some as "Crazy-Eyes Kash") has been a contender all along, but recent events helped him nail down the honor.
A report in The Atlantic magazine revealed that Patel has alarmed colleagues with excessive drinking that caused him to miss meetings and go AWOL on the job. Sources said Patel drinks to the point of intoxication, requiring his security detail to wake him.
Patel denies the allegations and claims in a lawsuit the story is false and defamatory. The Atlantic story and other recent revelations, raise questions about Patel's judgment and fitness to serve as head of the FBI. We will examine those questions in upcoming posts. But first, let's look at issues that are central to the lawsuit, which was filed on Monday (April 20), indicating Patel was determined not to waste any time. In a jointly published article at CBS News and Yahoo! News, under the headline "Kash Patel sues The Atlantic for $250 million over story on alleged drinking." Jacob Rosen writes:
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine on Monday, saying a recent story about his alleged frequent drinking and absences included "false and obviously fabricated" claims.
The 19-page lawsuit, filed in the District of Columbia, is seeking $250 million in damages. Sarah Fitzpatrick, the reporter who wrote the story, is also named as a defendant.
Patel and the FBI have repeatedly denied allegations in the story, which included allegations that Patel often drinks to excess. The piece, which cited multiple unnamed current and former officials, also said that Patel's "irregular presence at FBI headquarters and in field offices" has delayed "time-sensitive decisions" that require the FBI director's input.
The lawsuit listed 17 allegations in the article that Patel's legal team alleges were "false and defamatory statements of fact," including that he "is known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication."
"Each of the foregoing statements and implications is false. They are so demonstrably and obviously false, or easily refuted, that it was at best reckless to publish them," the suit said.
In a statement posted on X, The Atlantic said, "We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists from this meritless lawsuit."
Patel never has been one to cozy up to the press. In fact, he has threatened to go after journalists both criminally and civilly -- the First Amendment be damned. Not surprisingly, The Atlantic lawsuit is not Patel's first go-around with a media organization in court. CBS' Rosen writes:
CBS News has reached out to Patel's lawyer, Jesse Binnall, for additional comment.
This is the second lawsuit that Patel has filed in connection with media reports about allegations of his drinking and partying.
Last year, he sued Frank Figliuzzi, an MSNBC analyst and former FBI agent, over a claim suggesting Patel was spending more time in nightclubs than the FBI's headquarters. That case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, is still pending.
Patel has faced plenty of criticism in the press, as we noted in a May 2025 post. From that report:
FBI Director Kash Patel has come under fire on several fronts recently. Perhaps the most searing accusation against Patel is that he isn't serious about his job. In fact, a former FBI official said Patel has been seen more at nightclubs than at work. Is it a problem if Patel would rather boogie at clubs than show up on the job? One of my journalism brethren has concluded it might be a good thing.
Matt Ford, of The New Republic (TNR), explains, under the headline "Please Stop Trying to Get Kash Patel Fired; The last thing this country needs is an FBI director who wants to show up for work and zealously enact Trump’s agenda." The headline, on its own, is a hoot, and Ford proceeds to make a well-reasoned argument. He also points out that Patel is not just a nightclub hound; he also shows up regularly at sports events, sometimes with famous guests. Ford writes:
Last month, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 875th goal in the National Hockey League, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record. Gretzky himself was present for the away game against the New York Islanders. When the cameras cut to Gretzky in the stands, a slightly less familiar face was seated with him: FBI Director Kash Patel.
As the recipient of such coverage, Patel should be used to feeling heat from the press. So what was it about The Atlantic story that got him so riled up? And was Patel wise to file a defamation lawsuit against the magazine?
We will examine those and other questions in upcoming posts. We invite you to stay tuned.
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