Former FBI Leaders Sue, Alleging Politically Motivated Firings by Kash Patel
WASHINGTON – Three former high-ranking FBI officials have filed a lawsuit alleging they were illegally fired by Kash Patel, a former Trump management official, in an effort to curry favor with then-President Donald trump. the lawsuit, filed by former acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll, former assistant director in charge of the Washington field office Steven Jensen, and former special agent in charge of the Las Vegas field office Spencer Evans, claims their terminations were retaliatory and politically motivated.
The suit alleges Patel orchestrated their removal as part of a broader effort to purge the FBI of individuals perceived as disloyal to Trump. This action raises concerns about the politicization of law enforcement and the potential for undermining the independence of the FBI, especially as it relates to investigations involving politically sensitive matters like the January 6th Capitol attack. The former officials are seeking to have their terminations declared invalid, a public hearing to clear their names, and reinstatement to their former positions.News of the lawsuit was first reported by NPR and MSNBC. It comes on the heels of NBC News reporting on DriscollS earlier firing. Driscoll, who briefly served as acting director at the beginning of President Trump’s second term, was terminated after resisting a Justice Department directive to provide a list of FBI agents who had worked on January 6th cases.
“This request encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts,” Driscoll wrote in a memo to FBI employees at the time. “I am one of those employees.”
The lawsuit asserts that Patel’s actions were a direct attempt to interfere with ongoing investigations and protect individuals connected to the Trump administration. The former officials are seeking a federal judge to declare their termination from the FBI “a legal nullity,” a “name-clearing hearing,” and their jobs back.
The FBI declined to comment on the suit. A representative for the Justice Department did not promptly respond to a request for comment.
