The FBI and the Department of Justice are being sued by nine current agents who say their review of those who worked on the cases of some 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants is a preparation to retaliate against agents.
The suit comes after a noon deadline for the FBI to turn over to the Department of Justice the responses to a 13-question survey about agents’ work on the cases brought against those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.
“The purpose for this list is to identify agents to be terminated or to suffer other adverse employment action,” the suit says, calling it an “unlawful and retaliatory” action.
“Plaintiffs reasonably fear that all or parts of this list might be published by allies of President Trump, thus placing themselves and their families in immediate danger of retribution by the now pardoned and at-large Jan. 6 convicted felons.”
FBI leadership also has been asked to turn over a list of its agents who worked on cases involving the 1,500 Jan. 6 cases — putting at risk some 2,400 agents who worked on the largest prosecutorial undertaking in DOJ history.
And agents themselves have been asked to define the scope of their work, responding to a survey now included in court documents asking them whether they conducted surveillance, collected evidence, arrested individuals or testified in court.
The Hill has contacted the FBI and DOJ for comment.
