FBI Director Kash Patel denied claims that the bureau investigated a New York Times journalist who reported on his relationship with aspiring country singer Alexis Wilkins, but the denial came amid a rambling interview that raised more questions about potential abuse of federal investigative powers.
The Times reported Wednesday that the FBI conducted database searches on reporter Elizabeth Williamson after she published a February story about Patel’s three-year relationship with Wilkins, who now receives round-the-clock protection from SWAT and FBI field officers nationwide.
According to the Times, the FBI began a preliminary investigation to determine whether Williamson had violated federal stalking laws. However, the Department of Justice ultimately found no legal basis to proceed with the investigation.
Conflicting Explanations
An FBI spokesperson told the Times that the bureau had not investigated Williamson, claiming instead that inquiries about the journalist were related to a threatening email Wilkins received from an anonymous sender after the article’s publication.
During a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Patel dismissed the reporting while launching into what critics called a “bizarre MAGA monologue.” He accused the media of “bankrolling the SPLC and getting into bed with them,” referring to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which Patel launched an investigation into this week.
Press Freedom Concerns
Times Executive Editor Joseph Kahn defended the newspaper’s reporting, calling the FBI’s actions “a blatant violation of Elizabeth’s First Amendment rights.” He described the alleged investigation as “alarming, unconstitutional, and wrong.”
“The FBI’s attempt to criminalize routine reporting is another attempt by this administration to prevent journalists from scrutinizing its actions,” Kahn said in a statement Wednesday.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the current administration and press outlets, particularly regarding coverage of officials’ personal lives and potential misuse of federal investigative resources.
Patel, 46, has avoided addressing questions about a separate defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic while directing federal resources toward investigating the civil rights organization that tracks hate groups.