New York Times executive editor accused the Trump administration of trying to “criminalize routine reporting,” as the publication reported that one of its journalists was investigated by the FBI.
The Times reported on Wednesday that Elizabeth Williamson was the target of an investigation into whether she broke federal stalking laws as she reported on FBI Director Kash Patel‘s use of government resources for security and transportation for his girlfriend.
Executive editor Joe Kahn said, “The FBI’s attempt to criminalize routine reporting is a blatant violation of Elizabeth’s First Amendment rights and another attempt by this administration to prevent journalists from scrutinizing its actions. It’s alarming. It’s unconstitutional. And it’s wrong.” Per CNN, Kahn also wrote in an internal memo, We have no reason to believe that this is a widespread practice, but it marks an escalation of tactics to chill and intimidate reporters who reveal information that’s unflattering to the administration.”
Per the Times, agents interviewed Patel’s girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, queried databases about Williamson and recommended moving forward on the investigation. Ultimately, though, the Justice Department decided that there was no legal basis to pursue charges, per the Times.
Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday, Patel said “this same reporter delivered a baseless story which caused a direct threat of life to my girlfriend. And that’s not me saying that. This individual has been charged, arrested and is in court. And he said, as a direct result of The New York Times reporting, he wanted to take a rifle and canoe my girlfriend’s face. We are going to protect not only me and my loved ones, but every American that is threatened.”
In a statement provided to the Times, an FBI spokesperson said, “Ms. Wilkins was interviewed by FBI agents in relation to a death threat in Boston, which specifically referenced an article published by Williamson the previous day. During this questioning, the agents inquired about the related reporting. While investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking, no further action regarding Williamson or the reporting was ever pursued by the FBI.”
Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic earlier this week after the media outlet published a story on his “erratic” tenure, including reports that he drank to excess. Patel has denied the report, but The Atlantic has stood by its story.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said in a statement, “If Kash Patel was looking to disprove Williamson’s reporting about him using government resources for personal matters, siccing his agency on a reporter for retribution is a very strange way of doing it. You know the FBI is off the rails if even lawyers in Trump’s Department of Justice had to warn them that their retaliatory investigation lacked legal merit.”
