FBI director's girlfriend sues MS NOW, accuses cable network of 'false portrayal'

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Last edited Mon Jun 1, 2026, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-directors-girlfriend-sues-ms-now-accuses-cable-network-false-portr-rcna347899

FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend has filed a lawsuit against MS NOW, accusing the news organization of using “sham” anonymous sources to “push knowingly or recklessly false allegations” that she abused bureau resources.

Alexis Wilkins’ suit, filed in federal court in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday, names MS NOW as a defendant alongside Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig, two of the cable news channel’s reporters.

The defendants “falsely asserted that Ms. Wilkins demanded, and Director Patel ordered, that federal agents assigned to her security detail—which did not even exist at the time—escort an intoxicated friend home after a ‘night of partying.’ They falsely portrayed Ms. Wilkins as being intoxicated even knowing that she does not drink,” Kurt Beasley, Jason C. Greaves and Jared R. Roberts, Wilkins’ attorneys, wrote in part.

“This false portrayal is highly offensive to Ms. Wilkins, and would be to any reasonable person in her situation. Ms. Wilkins’ professional identity is of a responsible, sober young woman who does not partake in the excess drinking culture and party scene that is typical for musicians,” Wilkins’ lawyers added.

In the article published on MS NOW’s website, Dilanian and Leonnig reported that, on more than one occasion, Patel ordered that the security detail protecting Wilkins escort one of her inebriated friends home after a night of partying in Nashville. Wilkins’ lawyer acknowledges that the article, published on Dec. 5, does not accuse Wilkins of drinking, though Wilkins’ lawyers argue “that is precisely the impression Defendants constructed and conveyed, and reasonable readers of MS Now would come to that conclusion.”....

Two of Wilkins’ lawyers also represent Patel in a separate lawsuit against The Atlantic over an article it published in April alleging he drinks to excess. The attorneys allege in that suit that the article is a “sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece.”

Read more: NBC

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FBI director’s girlfriend sues MS NOW, accuses cable network of ‘false portrayal’

FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend has filed a lawsuit against MS NOW, accusing the news organization of using “sham” anonymous sources to “push knowingly or recklessly false allegations” that she abused bureau…

— Ayoob Kerala (@ayoobkk1984.bsky.social) 2026-06-01T19:21:15Z

[yankee87]

1. Counter sue

Get as mean as they are and counter sue for 10 billion dollars.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. FBI Director Kash Patel's girlfriend Alexis Wilkins has filed a defamation lawsuit against MS Now

Link to tweet

FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend Alexis Wilkins has filed a defamation lawsuit against MS Now, formerly MSNBC, reporter Carol Leonnig, and reporter Ken Dilanian.

The complaint centers on a December 5, 2025, MS Now article that falsely claimed Patel ordered Wilkins’ FBI security detail (which did not exist at the alleged time) to escort her allegedly intoxicated friend home after nights of partying in Nashville, based on anonymous sources.

Wilkins claims the report was fabricated, that defendants knew it was false.

This is one of many defamation lawsuits filed by Wilkins against several media figures.

This lawsuit was filed by the Binnall lawfirm

[Grins]

21. BINNALL!!! The same "law" firm Patel is using.

To sue The Atlantic.

And they have a history.

[Ray Bruns]

3. Discovery will be great.

[agingdem]

8. And when opposing counsel files a motion for discovery MAGA chickens

drop their ridiculous lawsuits…idiots like Kash his bimbo girlfriend don’t quite understand the internet is forever…and every pic/email/text they have ever sent/shared/copied will rise up from Digital Hell and bite them on their MAGA asses…

[Ars Longa]

23. +1

[AZJonnie]

4. Even if false, this content is like 75% of what's on Faux Nooz all day and night

KKKash and his GF might want to tread lightly on the subject of "what constitutes defamation" in the more general legal sense. Seemingly EVERYONE on their side of the aisle is a compulsive liar who makes up bullshit about people, esp. the asshole at the top of the food chain. And speaking of that asshole, I'd imagine Trump told Kash to tell Alexis to file this suit. Anything to get back at his "enemies" like MSNOW

Also: "even knowing that she does not drink". LOLOLOLOL. Nobody can KNOW someone does not drink unless they're with them every second of every day. And people can be "intoxicated" without drinking. There are other drugs in the world besides ethyl alcohol.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. "she does not drink" will be tested /nt

[spooky3]

6. So will "she is not a public figure." She's allegedly a country

Last edited Mon Jun 1, 2026, 09:24 PM - Edit history (2)

Singer who performs at concerts, as well as the girlfriend of Kash Patel.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. She alleges that she is not a public figure

This is not that clear and will be litigated

[spooky3]

18. That was my point. She made that claim in the case. I said it

Would be tested (challenged).

[karynnj]

22. Importantly, no one ever said she drank

The comment was she had a friend who was drunk that her FBI security detail took home.

Congress should question why SHE has an FBI security detail. Where discovery could come in would be to those members of the FBI as to whether they ever took friends of hers home. That, whether they were drunk or not, is pretty outrageous.

What I would question is who ordered them to do this? As they were assigned to protect her, I can't imagine that they would deplete her security by leaving her and helping someone else at her request. Were they ordered by their big boss, Patel? If so, isn't this a misuse of FBI resources? Even if threats because of her relationship to Patel warranted FBI security, using that detail for other purposes is impossible to justify. Like Trump, Patel seems to think he "owns" the resources his department has.

Whether the friend was drunk is actually not relevant, but might explain why help was given.

[Botany]

7. Please proceed Ms. Wilkins.

Two words: Deposition and discovery.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Kash Patel's girlfriend Alexis Wilkins sues MS NOW for defamation citing the novel legal standard

Link to tweet

[onenote]

10. Her lawyers -- the Binnall law group -- have an impressive track record if you like losing

Jesse Binnall represented litigants in several cases challenging the 2020 election results -- and lost them. His firm also has represented a number of Trump-aligned figures in defamation cases, including suits brought by Michael Flynn and others in his family against Rick Wilson, CNN and others. Also lost those cases. And most recently, the Binnall firm has racked an impressive string of losses while representing Alina Habba in the RICO lawsuit Trump brought against Hilary Clinton that was tossed by the district court a decision that resulted in sanctions being assessed against Habba and other and that was affirmed by the 11th Circuit, which only last month rejected the Binnall firm's request for a rehearing en banc.

So much winning.

To be clear, what Jesse Binnall is shooting for is getting a defamation case to the US Supreme Court in hopes they will overrule or water down the NY Times v Sullivan precedent.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. Oh, those guys. They're in Alexandria. I was right around the corner from their office on Saturday. NT

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. 'Hogwash and They Know it': Kash Patel's Country Singer Girlfriend Hits MS NOW With Defamation Lawsuit

This lawsuit will be fun to watch

‘Hogwash and They Know it’: Kash Patel’s Country Singer Girlfriend Hits MS NOW With Defamation Lawsuit www.mediaite.com/politics/hog...

— Charlie💙🌊GOP Fascist B**tards Destroy Lives (@parforthecourse1.bsky.social) 2026-06-01T17:39:41.131Z

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/hogwash-and-they-know-it-kash-patels-country-singer-girlfriend-hits-ms-now-with-defamation-lawsuit/

FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend Alexis Wilkins filed a defamation lawsuit against Versant, the parent company of MS NOW, and reporters Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig on Monday.

The lawsuit accuses the reporters of publishing a “hogwash” story that implied the country singer was intoxicated and that one of her friends was so drunk that Patel “ordered” a security detail to take her home.

It also claimed MS NOW’s “hit piece” maliciously suggested she was a “heavy drinker” by saying she was out for a “night of partying” with her friends. “This is entirely false, as Ms. Wilkins very rarely drinks, if ever,” the lawsuit said....

The lawsuit said Dilanian and Leonnig were aware Wilkins did not have a security detail in the spring of 2025 because they broke the story in November 2025 that she had “been recently assigned a [security] detail, necessary due to credible death threats.”

A rep for MS NOW did not immediately respond to Mediaite’s request for comment.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. She'd better find a competent attorney to represent her.

How much is she asking for?

[onenote]

14. She's asking for "an award of compensatory, special, and punitive damages in excess of seventy-five thousand dollars"

The reason for that demand is that, I believe, the demand has to be for more than $75K for the federal court to have jurisdiction.

Interestingly, she has filed other defamation suits in other court where she has specifically asked for $5million in damages. It may have something to do with the local rules of the districts in which she has filed.

[obamanut2012]

15. You are using a RW, Libertarian source

Just a FYI.

Katherine Mangu-Ward, the Editor-in-Chief, is a wingnut.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. I updated my OP

There are some interesting election law discussions on this cite from time to time

[RussBLib]

19. Why didn't Trump sign her for his stupid concert?

She must REALLY suck (at music) if she wasn’t even considered.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1

[SunSeeker]

20. Can't wait for the depos!