FBI Hands Over Names Of Agents Who Worked On Jan. 6 Cases To Trump Justice Department

The FBI has given the names of agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases to the Trump Justice Department. The move came after the acting deputy attorney general repeatedly demanded their names. The names were provided over a secured system to ensure that they did not become public.

The move comes a week after FBI employees were asked to complete in-depth questionnaires about their involvement in the Jan. 6 riot investigations. The Trump administration’s Justice Department asked employees to describe their office and title and specify whether they were involved in measures such as participating in search warrants, conducting interviews and testifying at trial.

Brian Driscoll, acting director of the FBI, sent a memo on Friday night, informing employees that Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove had asked for a list of all employees involved.

“As we’ve said since the moment we agreed to take on these roles, we are going to follow the law, follow FBI policy, and do what’s in the best interest of the workforce and the American people — always,” Driscoll wrote. Close colleagues and FBI officials who have worked with Driscoll before say that he “held his ground” and “pushed back hard.”

Driscoll refused to assist in the firing of agents involved in Jan. 6 riot cases, pushing against DOJ orders. President Donald Trump‘s pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, is currently under consideration by the Senate. Patel has openly criticized the bureau’s investigations of Trump and Jan. 6 rioters, though he promised at his confirmation hearing that no FBI officials would be retaliated against.

“All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution,” Patel said under oath last week.

Officials who are close to the matter said that Trump officials have made it clear to the FBI that they want at least some of the FBI agents who pursued cases related to Jan. 6 to be fired. Though the Trump administration wants to manage this quickly, misconduct allegations at the bureau involve a formal and lengthy review process.