FBI agents file lawsuit to prevent DOJ from creating roster of personnel involved in Jan. 6 or Trump-related investigations
The agents are concerned that the Justice Department under Trump's leadership will impose consequences on employees perceived as disloyal.
TroibNews 
Two groups of FBI agents involved in cases related to the January 6 Capitol attack and the criminal investigations of President Donald Trump have initiated lawsuits aimed at preventing Justice Department leadership from compiling lists of agents they believe will be used for retaliatory purposes.
The agents, who have chosen to remain anonymous in their federal suits, express concern that the Justice Department plans to publicly disclose their identities, rendering them vulnerable to threats and harassment. One lawsuit, filed by the FBI Agents Association, references calls from Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to target an FBI agent involved in the prosecution related to the January 6 attack.
“This bell cannot be unrung, and once the Plaintiffs’ personal information is released it will be eternally available on social media,” the attorneys for the unnamed agents assert in the lawsuit.
The second lawsuit, brought by the Center for Employment Justice, includes screenshots of a three-page survey that they claim the DOJ leadership intends to use to identify thousands of agents associated with the politically sensitive investigations.
“Plaintiffs legitimately fear that the information being compiled will be accessed by persons who are not authorized to have access to it,” they contend. “Plaintiffs further assert that even if they are not targeted for termination, they may face other retaliatory acts such as demotion, denial of job opportunities or denial of promotions in the future.”
These lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington on Tuesday, coinciding with a deadline set by the Justice Department for the FBI to compile a list of all personnel involved in January 6-related cases. The purpose of the DOJ’s name collection remains unclear, but some prosecutors and FBI officials deemed untrustworthy by Trump-appointed individuals have already been dismissed.
The lawsuits allege violations of First Amendment rights and the federal Privacy Act, seeking to prevent the Justice Department from collecting and sharing the identities of FBI agents and employees linked to the January 6 and Mar-a-Lago inquiries.
Representatives from both the Justice Department and the FBI have refrained from commenting on the legal actions.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
The agents, who have chosen to remain anonymous in their federal suits, express concern that the Justice Department plans to publicly disclose their identities, rendering them vulnerable to threats and harassment. One lawsuit, filed by the FBI Agents Association, references calls from Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to target an FBI agent involved in the prosecution related to the January 6 attack.
“This bell cannot be unrung, and once the Plaintiffs’ personal information is released it will be eternally available on social media,” the attorneys for the unnamed agents assert in the lawsuit.
The second lawsuit, brought by the Center for Employment Justice, includes screenshots of a three-page survey that they claim the DOJ leadership intends to use to identify thousands of agents associated with the politically sensitive investigations.
“Plaintiffs legitimately fear that the information being compiled will be accessed by persons who are not authorized to have access to it,” they contend. “Plaintiffs further assert that even if they are not targeted for termination, they may face other retaliatory acts such as demotion, denial of job opportunities or denial of promotions in the future.”
These lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington on Tuesday, coinciding with a deadline set by the Justice Department for the FBI to compile a list of all personnel involved in January 6-related cases. The purpose of the DOJ’s name collection remains unclear, but some prosecutors and FBI officials deemed untrustworthy by Trump-appointed individuals have already been dismissed.
The lawsuits allege violations of First Amendment rights and the federal Privacy Act, seeking to prevent the Justice Department from collecting and sharing the identities of FBI agents and employees linked to the January 6 and Mar-a-Lago inquiries.
Representatives from both the Justice Department and the FBI have refrained from commenting on the legal actions.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
