Former Top FBI Officials Sue Kash Patel, Pam Bondi Alleging Political Retaliation Firings
Former Top FBI Officials Sue Kash Patel, Pam Bondi Alleging Political Retaliation Firings
Three former high-ranking FBI officials have filed a bombshell lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing them of orchestrating politically motivated firings at the behest of the White House and Department of Justice. The lawsuit alleges that Patel, a staunch Trump loyalist, complied with orders to remove agents involved in investigations related to former President Trump to secure his own position.
According to the suit, Patel explicitly stated he “had to fire the people his superiors told him to fire” because “the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn’t forgotten it.” He allegedly acknowledged that these firings targeted agents who worked on cases against President Trump, regardless of their retirement eligibility, and that such actions likely violated internal FBI rules designed to protect agents from political retribution. This stands in stark contrast to Patel’s sworn Senate confirmation testimony, where he vowed to protect FBI employees from political reprisal.
The plaintiffs, Brian Driscoll, former assistant director Steven Jensen, and former special agent Spencer Evans, claim they were subjected to political loyalty tests. Driscoll, for instance, was allegedly questioned about his voting history and whether he agreed that agents who searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property should be held “accountable.” The lawsuit also details allegations that Patel indicated Driscoll’s vetting for an FBI headquarters role would depend on factors like not being prolific on social media, not donating to the Democratic Party, and not voting for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
The lawsuit further implicates other figures, including former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and then-acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, in pushing for a purge of FBI personnel, particularly those associated with January 6th investigations. It also highlights concerns raised by Jensen regarding Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino’s intense focus on using investigations for social media engagement.
The former officials are seeking a federal judge to declare their terminations illegal, grant them a “name-clearing hearing,” and reinstate them to their positions. Both the FBI and the Justice Department have declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
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