The FBI has reportedly launched a criminal investigation into whether information was leaked to a reporter for the Atlantic, who wrote that FBI director Cash Patel's, quote, excessive drinking was causing deep concern in the Bureau.

Patel was asked about the report last month.

I've never been intoxicated on the job, and that is why we file a $250 million defamation lawsuit,

and any one of you that wants to participate, bring it on. I'll see you in court.

Late this afternoon, the Atlantic published an update to its story that included this photo

that shows custom bottles of bourbon with Cash Patel's name on them that he reportedly gives out.

Joining us now to discuss this and more is Carol Lenig.

She's the senior investigative reporter for MS Now.

Carol, welcome back.

It's good to see you.

Good to be with you.

So I want to start with the news that you broke, that the FBI is investigating Sarah Fitzpatrick.

That's the Atlantic reporter behind that Cash Patel story.

And I want to start by putting to you what the FBI assistant director had to say in a statement about your report.

He said, this is completely false.

No such investigation like this exists.

The reporter you mentioned is not being investigated at all.

Every time there's a publication of false claims by anonymous sources that gets called out,

the media plays the victim via investigations that do not exist.

Carol, what's your response to that?

My response is that we stand by our reporting.

We have been told by multiple sources that at the director's instruction from his executive suite, a unit in Huntsville, Alabama,

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