FBI Director Kash Patel sues MSNBC columnist Frank Figliuzzi for ‘fabricating a specific lie' with outlandish nightclub claim

Yahoo

a day ago

FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a lawsuit in Texas against an MSNBC columnist who falsely claimed the official spent more time in 'nightclubs' than inside the Bureau's headquarters in Washington, DC.
Patel is suing Frank Figliuzzi for 'fabricating a specific lie' about him, according to court documents, namely that 'reportedly (Patel has) been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover Building.'
Defendant knew that this was a lie when he said it,' Patel's attorneys alleged. '…Since becoming Director of the FBI, Director Patel has not spent a single minute inside of a nightclub.'
The suit also claimed 'there was no basis for Defendant's fabrication, and Defendant's use of the weasel word, 'reportedly,' is itself a fabrication.'
'Defendant did not rely on reporting by any other person,' attorneys said in the filing. 'Defendant made up the story out of whole cloth, and by using the word 'reportedly,' attempts to distance himself from what is a maliciously false and defamatory statement.'
The attorneys allege Figliuzzi's claim constituted defamation, noting that Figliuzzi previously wrote, 'Patel is one of the most ill-suited Cabinet nominees—not just now, but of all time.'
'Defendant fabricated this story to discredit Director Patel because of Defendant's clear animus toward Director Patel,' his attorneys said.
'Defendant previously wrote, 'Patel is one of the most ill-suited Cabinet nominees—not just now, but of all time.' And, 'The FBI's motto is Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity. The record suggests that Patel doesn't possess any of those traits.''
'Defendant also wrote, 'It isn't just that Patel is wholly unqualified to lead the pre-eminent law enforcement and intelligence agency in the nation and perhaps the world … Patel's particular problem goes far beyond competence: His record shows no devotion to the Constitution, but blind allegiance to Trump.'The FBI director's suit also alleged that 'as a partisan commentator, (Figliuzzi) was motivated to sensationalize, and in this case, fabricate a story to self-promotingly advance his own name recognition, at the expense of Director Patel.'
Representatives for Patel declined to comment.
The lawsuit came just a month after MSNBC was forced to retract Figliuzzi's claim on May 5.
'This was a misstatement,' MSNBC anchor Jonathan Lemire said at the time. 'We have not verified that claim.'
The NBC and MSNBC national security analyst had alleged that Patel's absence from the FBI headquarters was 'a blessing and a curse.'
'Because if he's really trying to run things without his experience, without any experience level, things could be bad,' Figliuzzi said.
'If he's not plugged in, things could be bad. But he's allowing agents to run things, so we don't know where this is going.'
Figliuzzi didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.