FBI, DOJ strike agreement in lawsuit over January 6 ‘agent list’
The Justice Department and FBI agents have come to an agreement in federal court following a lawsuit filed by the FBI to prevent the Trump administration from releasing information about agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigation. The agreement states that the Trump administration cannot disclose information about the agents without providing plaintiffs with a two-day notice for reconsideration in court. However, there is no time limit on sharing agents’ identities with other government agencies or the White House.
This resolution comes after active FBI agents and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association sued the Justice Department to block the release of identifying information about FBI agents involved in the January 6 investigations. The parties engaged in lengthy discussions in court before U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who raised concerns about the nature of the questionnaire used by the DOJ and the potential risks of disclosing information about the agents.
Judge Cobb granted a temporary stay on Thursday evening, expressing her belief that releasing such information could endanger FBI agents. The agreement was reached shortly after FBI leadership submitted a list of agents who worked on the Jan. 6 investigations to the Justice Department, as requested by U.S. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
Lawyers representing the FBI agents argued that any attempt to target or discriminate against agents involved in the investigation would be unlawful and retaliatory. They also expressed concerns about the potential leakage of the list of agents, putting their safety at risk. On the other hand, the Justice Department maintained that the purpose of the questionnaire was to conduct an internal review of the Jan. 6 probe and not to punish individuals.
The agreement underscores the importance of protecting the identities of FBI agents involved in sensitive investigations and highlights the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and law enforcement agencies. As this story continues to develop, stay tuned for the latest updates on this issue.
