The News: WILL announced a settlement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on behalf of its clients, the Star News Network and journalist Matt Kittle of The Federalist. As part of the agreement, the FBI has released 120 pages of the Nashville shooter’s manifesto and agreed to pay WILL more than $86,000 in legal fees.
The Quotes: WILL Deputy Counsel, Dan Lennington, stated, “This settlement is a win for government transparency and efforts by real journalists to keep their government open and accountable. WILL is proud to advance the freedom of the press.”
WILL Client, Michael Patrick Leahy, stated, “Journalists everywhere should be willing to go to the mat to hold their government accountable, regardless of the story or who is in charge at the nation’s capital. We appreciate WILL for taking our case and fighting back against the Biden administration’s reckless and dangerous record retention policies.”
Our Clients: Michael Patrick Leahy is the CEO, Editor-in-Chief, and majority owner of Star News Digital Media, Inc., which owns and operates a family of state-focused conservative news sites, including The Tennessee Star. He is also the host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, heard weekdays on the John Fredericks Radio Network, as well as the new video series, Michael Patrick Leahy Investigates.
WILL Plaintiff Matt Kittle is an award-winning investigative reporter and 30-year veteran of print, broadcast, and online journalism. Kittle is currently a senior correspondent with The Federalist.
Additional Background: On March 27, 2023, a transgender shooter entered The Covenant School in Nashville and tragically killed three nine-year-old students and three adults—an administrator, substitute teacher, and a custodian. Law enforcement officers bravely entered the building and killed the shooter.
Our client requested a copy of the manifesto from the FBI through a formal FOIA request, which was denied by the Biden-era FBI. WILL sued, and after FBI Director Kash Patel was confirmed, settlement negotiations began to resolve the matter. The FBI then released 120 pages of the manifesto and settled the case with WILL.
Read More:
- Settlement, June 2025
- Complaint, April 2023
