FBI ousts former acting director, agent involved in J6 prosecutions, with more expected
The FBI on Thursday is ousting at least three officials, including the former acting director and an officer involved in the January 6 investigations, Fox News has learned.
Former FBI acting director, Brian Driscoll, is among those being forced out of the bureau, sources familiar with the matter told Fox News, along with Walter Giardina, a special agent at the bureau who played a role in the investigation of Trump trade advisor, Peter Navarro, and Steven Jensen, the acting director in charge of the Washington Field Office.
Driscoll, for his part, served as acting director of the FBI prior to the confirmation of FBI Director Kash Patel, and Jensen played a key role in the January 6 investigations.
Senior FBI officials told the agents in question that they needed to leave by Friday, with no specific reason given to them individually.
One individual with knowledge of the removals described it as “retribution.”
Individuals familiar with the matter told Fox News that more oustings are expected at the bureau by the end of the week, though the exact number of personnel included, or their roles at the bureau, are unclear.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro refused to answer several questions from Fox News about the FBI ousters during a press conference Thursday morning.
Still, news of their removals comes months after thousands of FBI personnel in February were forced to fill out a sprawling questionnaire asking employees detailed questions about any role that may have played in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots – ranging from whether they testified in any criminal trials to when they last participated in investigation-related activity.
The questionnaire, first reported by Fox News Digital, sparked urgent fears about politicization within the bureau, and concern that it could be used to retaliate against agents involved in the January 6 investigations.
Those concerns reached a fever pitch later that month, after then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the bureau to compile a list of all current and former personnel who worked on investigations related to January 6, 2021 case.
That information included details on “thousands” of employees including their unique identifying numbers, their current title, and their role and title at the time of the investigation.
A group of nine current FBI agents and employees in U.S. District Court later filed a lawsuit over the list, citing fears that it could threaten their careers and risks disrupting the bureau’s essential work.
Former Justice Department officials have cited concerns that the probe or any retaliatory measures carried out as a result could have a chilling effect on the work of the FBI, including its more than 52 separate field offices.
President Donald Trump in Febraury declined to answer questions over whether his administration would remove FBI employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, telling reporters only that he believes the bureau is “corrupt” and that then-FBI director nominee Kash Patel, would “straighten it out.”
The FBI did not respond to Fox News’s request for comment.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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