Two groups of anonymous FBI agents who worked on the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot and other federal probes related to President Trump are suing the federal government. They are challenging the Justice Department’s plan to review the FBI’s workforce and investigate agents who may have worked on these sensitive cases. The lawsuits, filed on Monday, are against the Justice Department and its acting head, Acting Attorney General James McHenry. The agents are trying to stop the release of their names, fearing it will lead to public harm.
The lawsuits highlight an ongoing conflict between the FBI’s career employees and the Justice Department’s leadership over potential personnel changes. On Friday, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll to create a list of current and former FBI employees who were involved in the January 6 investigation. This list was meant to determine if any further actions, like terminations, were needed. The Justice Department also asked agents across the country to fill out questionnaires about their involvement in the January 6 and Trump-related probes.
On Tuesday, the FBI provided the Justice Department with details about thousands of agents, including their employee IDs and job titles. However, there’s no information yet about what actions, if any, the Justice Department will take against these agents. So far, a few high-ranking officials have been fired, but most agents are still working.
The first group of agents suing the government argues that the list was created to identify agents for potential firing or other actions. Their lawyers are concerned that releasing these names could expose them and their families to harm, especially if the list is shared by Trump’s supporters. The second lawsuit also points out that some individuals who were charged during the January 6 investigation and later pardoned have made online posts promoting violence against law enforcement.
The Justice Department has not commented on the lawsuits yet. Meanwhile, there have been other changes in the Justice Department, with several prosecutors and FBI executives either fired, retired, or forced to resign. These moves are part of President Trump’s effort to “clean house” at the Justice Department, following his campaign promise to address the alleged “weaponization of the federal government.”
In response to the turmoil, FBI Director Driscoll praised the work of the FBI staff but did not address the current issues directly. He emphasized the agency’s focus on its mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.