According to a report this morning from MS NOW, the FBI has opened a criminal investigation focusing on my Atlantic colleague Sarah Fitzpatrick, related to an article she published last month about Director Kash Patel. Drawing on some two dozen sources, Fitzpatrick reported that people inside the administration and the bureau are deeply concerned about what they described as Patel's unexplained absences and excessive drinking. Patel filed a lawsuit against Fitzpatrick and The Atlantic following the story's publication, alleging defamation and demanding $250 million. The Atlantic says that it stands by Fitzpatrick's reporting, and legal commentators from across the political spectrum have concluded that the case is weak and likely to fail. Editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg responded to the MS NOW report with this statement: 'If confirmed to be true, this would represent an outrageous attack on the free press and the First Amendment itself. We will defend The Atlantic and its staff...
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