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FBI reportedly probes leak tied to Atlantic reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick

journalismMay 6, 2026569,119

The FBI has opened a leak investigation into sources WHO spoke to The Atlantic reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick after her April story about former Pentagon official Kash Patel. Fitzpatrick's article described concerns among associates about Kash Patel's excessive drinking and behavior and reported that Patel distributed "Ka$h"-branded bourbon to bureau staff and civilians. The probe focuses on tracing how internal documents and on-the-record accounts reached Fitzpatrick. The investigation matters because probing a reporter's sources raises press freedom concerns and signals intensified scrutiny of Patel's conduct.

Robert Reich
@rbreich.bsky.social

If you saw this happening in another country, what would you call it? https://newrepublic.com/post/210013/fbi-investigation-atlantic-reporter-kash-patel-drinking

44825h ago
Will Neuhauser 🗽⚖️🇺🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽🇬🇱114

Patel said the story was false. Therefore there was nothing to leak and so nothing leaked. But now his FBI is investigating the leaks. So the story is true.

✙ 𝐃𝐨𝐜 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 - 🇺🇸 🇪🇺 🖇️ ✨ 🌙 𝟾𝟼𝟺𝟽42

Honestly, professor - I'd call it an absolutely Kremlin-owned vassal state.

BoneShark31

I saw Patel guzzling beer on national television. What 46 year old guzzles beer?

America the ridiculous25

Fair question: if the journalist sues Patel, would there still be discovery?

David19

This is what Fascism looks like. cbwrong.blogspot.com/2026/05/are-...

Dona Dickinson17

Same as we call it here:

Tim Murphy17

It’s happening here, and I call it authoritarian fascism.

Marushka-T13

A banana republic in the grip of an unhinged dictator.

-Max Edge-11

Dictatorial license aka revenge as you see fit.

AATTRAVERSATO 🇺🇦10

it's called an autocracy. like the one in the u.s. everybody in the world's reporting on it, but us

opus402.bsky.social10

I’d assume it was a country with no opposition party

Richard G. Barba9

They don't care about the optics anymore. It's full on Putin mode and the GOP are in it.

fraziberry.bsky.social9

Let’s all wait for the discovery portion of the lawsuit😜

Belcaro9

An authoritarian move by Patel to crush any bad news coming out about him. The horse has already left the barn in this case.

Christopher Wood7

Imagine how fragile their egos must be if *this* is the easy option, instead of “just fire the fuckin’ guy”.

eddthegoat.bsky.social7

A Baron Sasha Cohen movie

Distemper Tyrannus7

There's that lawfare they're always whining about...

Sherry6

I'd call it Russia KGB

ravenalessia.bsky.social6

An overreach and abuse of power.

Susan Behrens6

This David Bowie & Pat Metheny Group song comes to mind more and more lately: “This Is Not America” It’s from the movie “The Falcon & the Snowman”. youtu.be/8aw8GoJ3Rdc

PhuckCulture6

We know what it is. WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT? When is the powers that be going to call it out &do something about it after all they are supposed to work for "WE the PEOPLE" aren't THEY? They're getting away with all of this while profiting imagine that, imagine if we did something like that.

Mopolis6

Fascism. Point 6 on the list of 14.

There is only us. There is no ICE.5

FBI = Fools and Buttheads, Inc.

Meidas Ian 🇬🇧🇺🇦🇨🇦🇭🇺🇪🇺5

A banana republic like Uganda under Amin

dyefree.bsky.social5

We are a shithole country and no one seems to care enough

Rhonda5

Corruption against our constitution and weaponization of our DOJ.

Prince Silly Billy5

Not to point out the obvious, but this clearly is another country...

YukonCorneliusJack4

Welcome to Nazi Germany, North Korea & Russia all wrapped up under the guise of the Divided States of Amnesia. This isn’t jurisprudence, it’s a farce.

swestberg2025.bsky.social4

Seems like the tables are turned. Whiskey Pete needs to be investigated

sge62.bsky.social4

What a #shitholeCountry - how can government in a free democratic society attack legitimate media for shedding light on the facts.

reyhusky.bsky.social3

Corrupt, immoral, and unethical the asshole trifecta. Way to show people what you truly are.

VictoriousYankee3

Then Bug Eyes will file a lawsuit which will eventually be thrown out because Bug Eyes is a ridiculous little man!

hillaryshouldawon.bsky.social2

You know the answer to this.

9irene.bsky.social2

Good lord now the cabinet members are having their own retribution tours!🫣

madcolorist.bsky.social2

Must be nice to be the head of the Gestapo...HUH.

Which Side Are YOU On? BTW, 8647.2

I never liked the "take me back" concept, but I really want to go back to a time when a handful of assholes couldn't unleash the force of the federal government on an individual just 'cause they hate the individual.

Shola Hoon2

The FBI will need a Scuba Diver to find their Leak, tbh.

mp005.bsky.social2

Another weaponized response to the incompetence of Patel and his circus at the DOJ. The main clown , Blanche,needs to be disbarred and fined for his lawless and compliance to the whims of the president.

🇨🇦Stéphane Prévost-Fella2

I would call it ruzzia...

😠Mr_nice_guy_NOT😂2

🤔 Something along the line of I’m a guilty as fuck and you’re going to pay for exposing me. 🤣

scsualum.bsky.social2

I guess we should call it the same thing regardless of the country in which it occurs.

AndyLGAtkins2

It is happening in another country. I'm British. It doesn't matter where you live, it is still an abuse of power. A sign of a descent into authoritarianism.

gertiebertie.bsky.social2

It's going to get worse

Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner2

In France, we wouldn't have to call it anything because it wouldn't happen, at least not yet...

Pontus Kylegård2

It's a shame, we used to look up to the states, now we laugh in disbelief while we're planning for a future without your involvement.

Anonymous Canadian 🇨🇦2

Same thing I call it your shithole. Fascism.

Jon Sternfeld 2

HOW CAN THEY BOTH CLAIM SHE'S LYING AND INVESTIGATE THE LEAK??? THOSE ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE IDEAS

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1.bsky.social

MS NOW Exclusive: The FBI has launched a criminal leak investigation focusing on Atlantic magazine journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick, who wrote that deeply unflattering account of Kash Patel's work habits. There is deep concern about this approach among some of the FBI agents.

11599h ago
🇺🇦Schadenfreude's Cat🇺🇦97

In other words the thin-skinned FBI director is using his office to go after journalists and chill free speech. These narcissists are such fascists.

mrslilith.bsky.social34

So, basically, they’re admitting it’s all true. Not that there was any doubt.

Larry Brubaker19

If it weren't true, there'd be no leak to investigate.

TG15

In a normal world the focus of the investigation would be the poor performance of the FBI Director instead of who leaked the fact that he's a disaster and making the country less safe.

Dave14

Is Kash Patel's drinking classified information? Classified inebriation?

3ll!o7 M@thews 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇪🇪🇱🇹🇱🇻🇫🇮🇸🇪🇧🇻🇩🇰🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿11

The investigators are SO close to figuring out the insider threat....

Linda💙🌊🆘🐕🐿️🕊️🇺🇦11

They only focus on the leaks. Not the incompetence. 😳

Jack Crawford9

'FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson denied the investigation to MS NOW, saying, “This is completely false. No such investigation like this exists and the reporter you mention is not being investigated at all.' Lie and Deny, says the FBI.

Rob Ellis9

Legal accountability can’t come soon enough for this MAGA band of criminals.

🖇️ Jane7

We need to just stop being surprised by their Nazi tactics #NoJusticeNoPeace

Maskup6

More evidence that the stories are true.

EARNED MY SPURS: "HE'S AN IDIOT" 🐎6

I guess it hurts when the truth is 'deeply unflattering'

Marc Bloomquist4

They’re doing more about reporting on his issues than investigating the deaths of two of our neighbors by ICE. Anyone backing this admin and MAGA surely has to get some fresh air and hard reset.

upchuck66.bsky.social4

There should be deep concern!

carljungfranz.bsky.social3

* Heinrich Müller was the operational head of the Gestapo (the Nazi secret state police) during most of World War II, serving as Chief of Operations from 1939 to 1945. Heinrich Himmler was the overall head of the SS and German police, including the Holocaust, from his desk in Berlin. *

Invictus Ghost3

Whatever, this little asshole needs to go.

stringagg.bsky.social3

Soooooo... this kinda confirms they were credible leaks?

Oswald P Haygood3

Don't change your terrible behavior. Find the person who disclosed it and do something even more terrible. Great idea. This is further proof to back up my theory that evil is stupid, and will always fail. It demands incompetence and incompetent people, and then guess what happens? They fuck up.

Pet Charles3

Who knew that Orwell was writing non-fiction?

Piratedan72

they must be administrative vampires, because that's the only way that this won't reflect badly on them..... I can only hope to be as vindictively petty as these guys, but I sure would relish the opportunity to be so.

🟨Richard Mustang42 🇺🇸🇬🇷🇺🇦2

There's is still loyal FBI agents to the Constitution and rule of law.

David F. Soros2

We'll find out later that the order was scrawled on some cocktail napkins.

Chele Lea2

So the FBI highlighted the report and prove it right. Instead of ignoring it he wants to run witch hunts. He looks unprofessional & unprepared for his position

The Falklands are Albania2

Any attorneys at the FBI who go along with this farce beyond certifying that no crime was committed should be aware that they will lose their license

twentyninedollars.bsky.social2

These journalists, believers in the Bill of Rights, are really troublesome mf'ers. I hope they go to Pulitzer-ville 'n get the Alfred Nobel thing to shut them up! Poor Kash & Donald are trying to enjoy playing golf, watch sports & kick back! These shit disturbers need to be beaten with pillows.

Jason2

Sure..blame the people that squealed on the Hegsethian drunk....

PPP Grifter (payroll not the other one)2

This wouldn’t be a problem if he wasn’t an alcoholic. Why doesn’t he simply stop drinking?

mummyrange.bsky.social2

How is it a leak when he acts like a frat boy on a binge for days at a time publicly. He has shown his stripes openly and is using his position to try and punish those that speak about his personal incompetence.

2 sources