USA

‘As long as it doesn’t affect his job … I’m cool’

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) defended FBI Director Kash Patel on Monday following a report in The Atlantic alleging that Patel engaged in excessive alcohol use and other behavior that alarmed his colleagues in the bureau.

“I don’t know anything about his drinking. I haven’t heard any rumors or concerns,” McCormick said. he told the reporter Pablo Manríquez, who asked whether Patel’s “drinking” was a national security concern. “I think he’s been doing a great job up to this point, so I don’t see why this is a controversial thing.”

“As long as it doesn’t negatively impact his business, he’s fine,” the Georgia Republican added.

Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the magazine on Monday, days after the magazine published a profile detailing his drinking habit, unexplained absences and paranoia about losing his job.

story titled “FBI Director MIA“, citing interviews with more than two dozen people, including current and former FBI officials, members of Congress, hospitality industry workers and others.

Reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick wrote: “Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information and private conversations, they described Patel’s tenure as an administrative failure and his personal conduct as a national security vulnerability.”

He noted that Patel has been known to “drink to the point of apparent intoxication” in front of White House and other Trump administration personnel, and that on multiple occasions over the past year “members of the security team had difficulty waking Patel because he appeared to be intoxicated.”

Authorities also said the FBI director was “irregularly present” at the agency’s headquarters and “often away or unreachable.”

Patel and his legal team called the allegations “false” and telegraphed plans to file a lawsuit over the weekend; The FBI director said a case would “come tomorrow” when asked about the possibility during an appearance on Fox News Sunday morning.

The complaint alleges that the article’s sources were “not in a position to know the facts” and framed the story as part of a broader smear campaign against the bureau chief.

“The article itself reveals that Defendants understood that their sources were animated by hostility. Defendants relied on ‘former advisors’ and ‘political operatives,’ categories of sources with obvious axes to grind.” defamation cases.

A spokesperson for The Atlantic defended its reporting in a statement Monday, writing that the magazine would “vigorously defend” its journalists against the “unfair” lawsuit.

Patel’s alleged drinking habits have come under renewed scrutiny in recent months after a viral video appeared to show him partying and drinking beer with players in the Team USA locker room following its victory over Canada on the final day of the Winter Olympics.

The controversy also emerged after three top officials left the administration amid criticism in recent weeks, including former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and outgoing Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

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