FBI Director Kash Patel filed a lawsuit on Monday against The Atlantic and its journalist, Sarah Fitzpatrick, over their report just days earlier detailing allegations of his “excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”

Patel is seeking $250 million in damages from the magazine, which he accused of publishing a “hit piece” about his alleged erratic behavior despite his denial.

“Defendants are of course free to criticize the leadership of the FBI, but they crossed the legal line by publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office,” the lawsuit stated.

It is standard journalistic practice to report on serious allegations against a high-level public official, even if said official denies them. Fitzpatrick’s piece included a comment from Patel, which said, “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court – bring your checkbook.”

The media company said Monday in a statement, “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit.”

Patel is facing increased public scrutiny after The Atlantic published its story, which claimed the director’s behavior and alleged alcohol use are “a recurring source of concern across the government.” The director had already come under fire in February after he was seen at the Winter Olympics chugging beers with Team USA’s hockey players in their locker room, when he was supposed to be in Italy on official business.

According to the article, Patel’s security detail struggled to wake him up on multiple occasions over the past year because he was “seemingly intoxicated,” with his meetings having to sometimes be rescheduled “as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights.” Officials told Fitzpatrick they worried his alleged inebriation played a factor in his more impulsive, irresponsible decisions around high-profile FBI investigations.

Multiple officials expressed worry to the reporter that Patel’s alleged drinking, partying and absences will lead the FBI to be wholly unprepared in the event of a potential domestic terror attack ― especially after the Trump administration launched its war.

The Atlantic had previously reported on rumors that Patel could be next on the chopping block after Pam Bondi’s ouster as attorney general, with Fitzpatrick reporting on Friday that the director had a “freak-out” earlier this month because he worried that an incident where he was unable to log on to an internal computer system meant he was fired by the White House.

Monday’s lawsuit said The Atlantic has a “well-documented, long-running editorial animus toward Director Patel,” and that Fitzpatrick relied “entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an ax to grind and also not in a position to know the facts.” The sources’ anonymity means that Patel’s team would likely not know who they are, and therefore would not know whether they have an “ax to grind.”

“These are not the types of people who are willing to speak out outside of the FBI, especially right now, because Kash Patel is going after people with polygraphs in a way that has never happened at the bureau,” Fitzpatrick said Friday on MS NOW’s “The Briefing with Jen Psaki.”

“So for it to be this level of alarm – this is people genuinely concerned that America is in danger as a result of this conduct,” she continued. “And I feel a real responsibility to take care of that reporting incredibly carefully, and The Atlantic is nothing but diligent.”

Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.

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