US News

DOJ Requests Information on FBI Personnel Involved in Jan. 6 Investigations


“The FBI is committed to operating within the boundaries of the law and established policy when responding to official information requests from the Department of Justice,” stated an FBI spokesperson.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested the identities of thousands of FBI personnel who were involved in investigations related to the January 6, 2021, incident at the U.S. Capitol.

In a letter dated January 31, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll to compile the names of all bureau staff who investigated the January 6 events as well as a separate terrorism case, as noted by Senate Democrats in a letter on February 3.

Driscoll informed FBI employees in a separate correspondence that this request includes thousands of individuals nationwide, including himself, who have contributed to these investigative initiatives.

Bove indicated that “further personnel actions” may ensue, as remarked by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

The DOJ has not yet responded to requests for comment.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed that the inquiry regarding FBI personnel has indeed been made by Bove.

“The FBI is actively working to address the request for information from the Acting Deputy Attorney General regarding current and former FBI staff involved in specific investigations or prosecutions, particularly those relating to the events at or around the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021,” the spokesperson relayed to The Epoch Times via email.

“The FBI is dedicated to complying with the law and policies in responding to official requests from the Department of Justice. Importantly, the FBI does not interpret the appearance of any individual on these lists as evidence of misconduct,” the bureau clarified.

Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, had previously initiated an inquiry into the reasons behind federal prosecutors pressing felony obstruction charges against numerous January 6 defendants. Following his inauguration, Trump granted pardons to a significant number of individuals charged in connection with January 6.

This new information request arises after acting DOJ leadership dismissed several officials, including prosecutors who had been involved in cases against Trump prior to his election, alongside six FBI executive assistant directors.

Bove expressed in his letter to Driscoll that, “I do not have confidence that the current DOJ leadership trusts these FBI employees to adequately support the President’s agenda.”, according to remarks from Senate Democrats.

Durbin and his fellow senators informed Acting Attorney General James McHenry and Driscoll that the terminations, along with reassignments, have resulted in “a loss of experienced, senior leadership and decades of expertise in combating violent crime, espionage, and terrorism” for both the DOJ and FBI. They requested more details about these actions.
The leaders of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association communicated with Congress members on February 3, conveying that the actions by the DOJ endanger the jobs of thousands of FBI agents and “threaten to disrupt the bureau’s critical operations.”

“Any assessment of Special Agents should adhere to established disciplinary protocols that ensure due process and transparency for our nation’s law enforcement personnel,” the organization emphasized.

McHenry and Driscoll are currently serving in acting capacities while the Senate is reviewing the nominations of Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, who are proposed to serve as the attorney general and FBI director, respectively.

Patel assured during his confirmation hearing that he would not take action against FBI personnel simply due to their involvement in investigations related to Trump.

“All FBI employees will be shielded from political retaliation,” he asserted.

“I will uphold the integrity of the office,” Bondi stated during her confirmation hearing, “I will not target individuals solely based on their political affiliations.”



Source link

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.