New York (AP) — The New York Times said the FBI investigated whether reporter Elizabeth Williamson violated laws against stalking after she published a February story describing how federal agents were assigned to protect and transport FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins. The Times reported that it learned of the investigation only through a tip given to reporter Michael S. Schmidt, and it called the action alarming.
The FBI said Wednesday that its agents interviewed Wilkins when she expressed concern about a death threat she received after Williamson’s article was published, but that investigators took no further action. In a separate statement posted on social media, FBI spokesman Ben Williamson said investigators were concerned about how “aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking,” while also saying that “no further action regarding Williamson or the reporting was ever pursued by the FBI.”
The New York Times said federal agents looked on federal databases for information about Williamson and recommended pursuing the matter further. The newspaper reported that the effort was blocked by the Justice Department, and that it did not learn details about the investigative steps until receiving the tip.
Joseph Kahn, the Times’ executive editor, said the newspaper viewed the FBI’s actions as an attempt to criminalize routine reporting. 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,” adding that “It’s alarming. It’s unconstitutional. And it’s wrong.”
Williamson’s original report, published Feb. 28, described federal officials being called on for personal duties connected to Patel’s girlfriend. The Times said Williamson wrote that Patel had assigned four agents to protect Wilkins full time and that they ferried her to appearances in Britain, Illinois and Nashville.
The Times said Williamson briefly interviewed Wilkins when reporting, but that Wilkins insisted the conversation be off the record. The newspaper also said Williamson spoke to people who knew Wilkins or had worked with her in connection with the reporting.
The AP story noted that it was not clear whether the Times has any recourse beyond asking a federal inspector general to review whether the FBI and Justice Department actions were improper.