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FBI Director Kash Patel's defamation suit reportedly backfires

newsApr 24, 2026301,315

Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over an article alleging excessive drinking and erratic behavior. Atlantic investigative reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick says she has been inundated with additional sources corroborating her reporting that Patel binge-drinks. Patel admitted in a 2005 letter on his Florida Bar application to two alcohol-related arrests, a 2001 public intoxication incident and a 2005 public urination arrest. Those admissions and new corroboration undercut Patel's lawsuit and raise direct questions about his fitness to lead the FBI and the security protocols protecting the director.

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