3 former FBI officials sue Trump administration over alleged 'retribution'

WASHINGTON -- Three former FBI officials who were dismissed last month filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration, alleging that it launched a "campaign of retribution" targeting FBI officials who showed insufficient loyalty to US President Donald Trump, and unlawfully fired them for political reasons.

The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Defendants include the FBI and FBI Director Kash Patel, the Justice Department and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Executive Office of the President, and the federal government.

Defendants initiated "a campaign of retribution" against the three for what defendants deemed to be "a failure to demonstrate sufficient political loyalty," the complaint said. Plaintiffs were the targets of defendants' retribution for "their refusals to politicize the FBI."

On Aug. 8, the FBI director fired the three officials with "cursory, single-page letters sent to each Plaintiff," which "violated federal law and the Constitution," according to the complaint.

The complaint also noted that the three former FBI officers have served the country for decades.

"Patel not only acted unlawfully but deliberately chose to prioritize politicizing the FBI over protecting the American people," the complaint said. "His decision to do so degraded the country's national security by firing three of the FBI's most experienced operational leaders, each of them experts in preventing terrorism and reducing violent crime."

One of the plaintiffs, Brian J. Driscoll, briefly served as acting FBI director earlier this year. According to the complaint, on Jan. 29, Driscoll was directed to provide a list of FBI personnel involved in the investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Under pressure, he ultimately handed over a list of approximately 6,000 individuals.

According to the complaint, Patel stated that all FBI employees who they identified as having worked on the cases against President Trump would be removed from their jobs, regardless of their retirement eligibility status. He then stated that Driscoll needed to understand that "the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn't forgotten it."

The FBI has conducted multiple investigations involving Trump, including whether Russia influenced the 2016 election in President Trump's favor, the investigation related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, and the 2022 Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation.

Trump has repeatedly accused the Justice Department and the FBI of conducting these investigations with political motives and unfairly targeting him. In public statements, interviews and social media posts, Trump has often described these investigations as a "witch hunt."