New York Times alleges FBI investigated journalist after report about Patel girlfriend

The New York Times is alleging the FBI investigated one of its journalists after a reporter for the paper wrote an article questioning the security protections of director Kash Patel’s girlfriend, which the bureau and Patel have denied.

FBI agents interviewed Patel’s girlfriend Alexis Wilkins, queried databases for information on Times journalist Elizabeth Williamson and recommended moving forward to determine whether she broke federal stalking laws, the outlet reported, citing a person familiar.

The FBI, in a statement to the Times this week, said “while investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking,” it was not pursuing a case against Williamson.

Patel also pushed back on the reporting in an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity.

“The reality is … that this same reporter delivered a baseless story which caused a direct threat of life to my girlfriend,” the FBI director told the host. “We’re going to protect not only me and my loved ones, but every American that is threatened.”

He added, “And the baseless New York Times came in over the top today and tried to delete that past reporting, refused to accept our comments, and refused to turn the attention to the actual court pleadings and the myriad of threats that have resulted to me and mine based on this baseless reporting.”

Joe Kahn, executive editor of the Times, stood by Williamson’s reporting and painted the reported investigation into her methods as an attempt by President Trump’s administration to chill free speech.

“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 in a statement included in the Times report. “It’s alarming. It’s unconstitutional. And it’s wrong.”

The back-and-forth between Patel and the outlet comes just days after the FBI director filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic over its reporting questioning his performance in the role and alleging excessive alcohol use, which he has also denied.

Patel has drawn scrutiny in recent months over what Democrats have said is use of taxpayer dollars for personal travel, including a trip to Italy to watch Team USA compete in the Olympic Men’s Hockey Final, a game after which he was seen celebrating with the American team in its locker room.

The FBI has said Patel would reimburse the department out of his own pocket for any personal expenses during his travel to Italy.

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