The Atlantic Says FBI Investigation Into Its Reporting Would Be a ‘Dangerous Attack on the Free Press’
One press freedom advocate said the reported FBI investigation “would be outrageous even if The Atlantic reported classified information, which it didn’t.”
FBI Director Kash Patel holds a news conference at Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2026.
(Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Brad Reed
May 06, 2026
COMMON DREAMS
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday denied that it launched a reported probe into The Atlantic, which recently published a damning account of FBI Director Kash Patel’s alleged drunkenness, though magazine leadership and press freedom advocates remain alarmed.
As reported by MS NOW on Wednesday, the FBI is conducting a criminal leak investigation into The Atlantic’s Sarah Fitzpatrick, whose reporting on Patel cited two dozen anonymous sources to document concerns about the FBI director’s behavior.
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MS NOW noted that the investigation into Fitzpatrick’s reporting is “highly unusual because it did not stem from a disclosure of classified information” on the part of government insiders.
One source told MS NOW that the FBI agents assigned to the case have expressed serious reservations about its scope and purpose.
“They know they are not supposed to do this,” the source said. “But if they don’t go forward, they could lose their jobs. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson denied to MS NOW that the agency had launched an investigation into Fitzpatrick, saying that “every time there’s a publication of false claims by anonymous sources that gets called out, the media plays the victim via investigations that do not exist.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, said the magazine was working to learn more about the alleged investigation, but “if true, this would be an outrageous, illegal, and dangerous attack on the free press and the First Amendment.”
“We will defend Sarah and all of our reporters who are subjected to government harassment simply for pursuing the truth,” Goldberg added.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, also condemned the reported investigation, which he said “would be outrageous even if The Atlantic reported classified information, which it didn’t.”
“The FBI is reportedly conducting an invasive leak investigation merely to settle a personal vendetta,” added Stern. “Separately, it doesn’t make much sense for Patel’s FBI to investigate leaks from what Patel’s lawsuit over the same reporting called ‘sham sources.’ Fake sources can’t leak.”
Patel last month filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic for its report on his behavior, which the magazine said included “episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”
The Atlantic vowed to fight the lawsuit, saying it stood by its reporting while describing Patel’s complaint as “meritless.”
One press freedom advocate said the reported FBI investigation “would be outrageous even if The Atlantic reported classified information, which it didn’t.”
FBI Director Kash Patel holds a news conference at Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2026.
(Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Brad Reed
May 06, 2026
COMMON DREAMS
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday denied that it launched a reported probe into The Atlantic, which recently published a damning account of FBI Director Kash Patel’s alleged drunkenness, though magazine leadership and press freedom advocates remain alarmed.
As reported by MS NOW on Wednesday, the FBI is conducting a criminal leak investigation into The Atlantic’s Sarah Fitzpatrick, whose reporting on Patel cited two dozen anonymous sources to document concerns about the FBI director’s behavior.
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MS NOW noted that the investigation into Fitzpatrick’s reporting is “highly unusual because it did not stem from a disclosure of classified information” on the part of government insiders.
One source told MS NOW that the FBI agents assigned to the case have expressed serious reservations about its scope and purpose.
“They know they are not supposed to do this,” the source said. “But if they don’t go forward, they could lose their jobs. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson denied to MS NOW that the agency had launched an investigation into Fitzpatrick, saying that “every time there’s a publication of false claims by anonymous sources that gets called out, the media plays the victim via investigations that do not exist.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, said the magazine was working to learn more about the alleged investigation, but “if true, this would be an outrageous, illegal, and dangerous attack on the free press and the First Amendment.”
“We will defend Sarah and all of our reporters who are subjected to government harassment simply for pursuing the truth,” Goldberg added.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, also condemned the reported investigation, which he said “would be outrageous even if The Atlantic reported classified information, which it didn’t.”
“The FBI is reportedly conducting an invasive leak investigation merely to settle a personal vendetta,” added Stern. “Separately, it doesn’t make much sense for Patel’s FBI to investigate leaks from what Patel’s lawsuit over the same reporting called ‘sham sources.’ Fake sources can’t leak.”
Patel last month filed a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic for its report on his behavior, which the magazine said included “episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”
The Atlantic vowed to fight the lawsuit, saying it stood by its reporting while describing Patel’s complaint as “meritless.”
David Edwards
May 6, 2026
RAW STORY
Fox News/screen grab
Fox News London correspondent Alex Hogan was repositioned to Portsmouth, Virginia, just in time to cover an FBI raid on a Democratic politician who led redistricting efforts that could help her party take control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin noted that Hogan was on the scene "where the FBI is raiding the office of Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas, a Democrat and close ally of VA Governor Spanberger."
Moments later, Hogan was live on Fox News to give a report to anchor Harris Faulkner.
"State Senator Luis Lucas is at the center of a major FBI corruption investigation," Faulkner announced. "Right now, in fact, agents are executing search warrants across the Commonwealth, including her office."
"So the FBI here telling us today that these are court-authorized criminal search warrants that they are issuing and they're going into the building behind me," Hogan reported. "This is the office here in Portsmouth of state senator Louise Lucas. You can likely see some of the FBI agents behind me."
"SWAT teams arrived with their weapons drawn, telling anyone in the building to come out of the building with their hands up," she recalled. "We also saw at least three people being taken away, taken into custody. First, they were put in handcuffs, put on the ground, and then they were taken away."
Hogan said that she was at the scene in time to speak to Lucas.
"I was able to speak with her. I asked her what her reaction was to all of this," the reporter explained. "She told me she had no idea what they were doing here."
"Alex, great job getting her right as this was going on," Faulkner concluded.
Fox News critics wondered how Hogan got the scoop on the FBI raid.
"Some pretty remarkable instincts by Fox News to have its London correspondent placed in Portsmouth, Virginia right in time for the FBI raid of Louise Lucas," The Bulwark's Sam Stein said in a social media post.
"How did Fox News get someone live on the scene of a raid in Portsmouth? Do you all have an office in Portsmouth?" journalist Tim Miller asked.
Correspondent Scott MacFarlane pointed out that the Department of Justice manual required "high-level approval" for any advanced notice of raids.
Fox News has been critical of CNN after its reporters showed up at Roger Stone's home as the FBI arrested him in 2019.
Fox News/screen grab
Fox News London correspondent Alex Hogan was repositioned to Portsmouth, Virginia, just in time to cover an FBI raid on a Democratic politician who led redistricting efforts that could help her party take control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin noted that Hogan was on the scene "where the FBI is raiding the office of Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas, a Democrat and close ally of VA Governor Spanberger."
Moments later, Hogan was live on Fox News to give a report to anchor Harris Faulkner.
"State Senator Luis Lucas is at the center of a major FBI corruption investigation," Faulkner announced. "Right now, in fact, agents are executing search warrants across the Commonwealth, including her office."
"So the FBI here telling us today that these are court-authorized criminal search warrants that they are issuing and they're going into the building behind me," Hogan reported. "This is the office here in Portsmouth of state senator Louise Lucas. You can likely see some of the FBI agents behind me."
"SWAT teams arrived with their weapons drawn, telling anyone in the building to come out of the building with their hands up," she recalled. "We also saw at least three people being taken away, taken into custody. First, they were put in handcuffs, put on the ground, and then they were taken away."
Hogan said that she was at the scene in time to speak to Lucas.
"I was able to speak with her. I asked her what her reaction was to all of this," the reporter explained. "She told me she had no idea what they were doing here."
"Alex, great job getting her right as this was going on," Faulkner concluded.
Fox News critics wondered how Hogan got the scoop on the FBI raid.
"Some pretty remarkable instincts by Fox News to have its London correspondent placed in Portsmouth, Virginia right in time for the FBI raid of Louise Lucas," The Bulwark's Sam Stein said in a social media post.
"How did Fox News get someone live on the scene of a raid in Portsmouth? Do you all have an office in Portsmouth?" journalist Tim Miller asked.
Correspondent Scott MacFarlane pointed out that the Department of Justice manual required "high-level approval" for any advanced notice of raids.
Fox News has been critical of CNN after its reporters showed up at Roger Stone's home as the FBI arrested him in 2019.
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