The FBI opened an investigation into a New York Times reporter after she published an article questioning security arrangements around Kash Patel's girlfriend, the Times disclosed Wednesday.
FBI agents searched databases for information on Elizabeth Williamson following her February report alleging that Patel, now the FBI director, had assigned four agents to provide full-time protection and transportation for country singer Alexis Wilkins. The inquiry began in March, sources told the Times.
According to the Times account, investigators flagged whether Williamson's reporting methods might violate federal stalking laws. The FBI ultimately decided not to pursue charges against the journalist.
Patel addressed the matter Wednesday on Fox News, telling host Sean Hannity that Williamson's story posed a direct threat to his girlfriend's safety. "The reality is that this same reporter delivered a baseless story which caused a direct threat of life to my girlfriend," Patel said. "We're going to protect not only me and my loved ones, but every American that is threatened."
The FBI's statement to the Times acknowledged that investigators were concerned Williamson's "aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking" but confirmed the bureau would not move forward with a case.
Times Executive Editor Joseph Kahn blasted the investigation as unconstitutional. "The FBI's attempt to criminalize routine reporting is a blatant violation of Elizabeth's First Amendment rights and another attempt by this administration to prevent journalists from scrutinizing its actions," Kahn said. "It's alarming. It's unconstitutional. And it's wrong."
Williamson's original piece examined how federal resources were deployed for personal purposes. She reported that Patel's agents transported Wilkins to appearances in Britain, Illinois, and Nashville.
The conflict escalates a broader pattern of friction between Patel and the media. Earlier this week, Patel sued the Atlantic and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick over an article detailing what six current and former officials described as excessive drinking and unexplained absences during his FBI tenure. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, seeks $250 million in damages, with Patel's lawyers calling the piece "a sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece."
Author James Rodriguez: "An FBI director investigating a reporter for writing about him is precisely the kind of power abuse the First Amendment was designed to prevent, and his subsequent lawsuit only reinforces the pattern."
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