Judge Dismisses Kash Patel's Defamation Lawsuit Against Frank Figliuzzi A federal judge in Texas has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by FBI Director Kash Patel against Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director who became a contributor for MSNBC. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge George Hanks Jr., determined that Figliuzzi’s remarks about Patel did not constitute defamation. The case centered on a comment Figliuzzi made during a 2025 episode of MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Figliuzzi had said, “Yeah, well, reportedly, he’s been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building.” Patel, who served as FBI director from 2023 to 2026, sued Figliuzzi, alleging the statement defamed him by implying he spent excessive time in nightlife venues rather than his official duties. Figliuzzi’s legal team argued the comment was a “sarcastic, hyperbolic remark” protected under the First Amendment. Judge Hanks agreed, stating that the statement, when considered in context, could not be interpreted as stating factual claims about Patel. The judge emphasized that a “person of ordinary intelligence and learning” would not take the remark literally, noting it was clearly rhetorical hyperbole rather than a factual assertion. The ruling also denied Figliuzzi’s request for attorney fees and other costs, though his lawyer, Marc Fuller, called the decision a “victory for press freedom and the First Amendment.” Fuller highlighted the importance of allowing public figures to critique officials without fear of legal retaliation. The case unfolded alongside another defamation lawsuit filed by Patel against The Atlantic magazine.#kash_patel #frank_figliuzzi #george_hanks_jr #msNBC #morning_joe
John Kerry Discusses Iran, Kash Patel on Late Show with Stephen Colbert Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss recent developments involving Iran and FBI Director Kash Patel, as well as broader political tensions. During the interview, Kerry referenced a controversial article in The Atlantic that alleged Patel had engaged in excessive drinking and unexplained absences. Kerry, who previously negotiated the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under President Barack Obama, expressed concern over the potential for conflict, suggesting that neither Iran nor Patel should face military action. “If neither Iran nor Kash Patel are getting bombed,” Kerry said, “that would be better for the U.S.” The conversation turned to former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about Iran, where he threatened to “destroy a whole civilization” in the country. Kerry criticized Trump’s remarks as a “prelude to becoming one of the greatest war criminals in history,” arguing that such statements made war inevitable. Colbert responded with a pointed question: “Are those the best ways to negotiate? If you start with an act of war, is that the best way to start a peace talk?” Kerry agreed, adding that Trump’s actions undermined his credibility, even joking about the former president’s “FIFA World Peace Prize” — a reference to Trump’s 2025 World Cup attendance. Colbert also probed Kerry about Trump’s boast that he would have won the Vietnam War “very quickly” if he had been president during the conflict. Kerry highlighted the irony of Trump’s claim, noting that the former president was exempted from the draft due to bone spurs. “If he’s Jesus, he could cure his bone spurs and go fight the war and win all by himself,” Kerry quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.#stephen_colbert #kash_patel #john_kerry #the_late_show #the_atlantic
Iran-linked hackers breach FBI director's personal email, publish excerpts online A Justice Department official confirmed that FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email account had been compromised, with the stolen material appearing to be authentic. The FBI did not immediately comment on the breach, and the hackers involved did not respond to messages. The breach is attributed to the Handala Hack Team, an Iran-linked group that has claimed responsibility for several cyberattacks. Handala, which identifies itself as a pro-Palestinian vigilante collective, is regarded by Western cybersecurity researchers as one of multiple personas used by Iranian government cyberintelligence units. The group recently claimed to have hacked a Michigan-based medical devices company, Stryker, and deleted a large volume of its data. The hackers published excerpts from Patel’s email, which span personal and professional correspondence dating back to 2010 and 2019. Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the emails, but the Gmail address linked to the breach matches the one previously associated with Patel in data leaks stored by the dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs. Alphabet-owned Google, which operates Gmail, did not comment on the matter. The hackers’ uploaded material includes a mix of private and work-related communications, though no specific details about the content were disclosed. The breach highlights the growing threat of state-sponsored cyber operations targeting high-profile individuals. The Justice Department’s confirmation of the breach underscores the seriousness of the incident, though the FBI’s lack of immediate response has raised questions about its preparedness to address such threats.#stryker #fbi_director #kash_patel #handala_hack_team #district_4_labs
