The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seems to be on a spree of expelling several high-ranking officials. Among those targeted is an erstwhile acting director who, during President Trump’s administration, declined to disclose the identities of certain agents involved in inquiries related to the January 6 Capitol disturbance, according to unnamed sources and internal communiqués. The reason for pushing out Brian Driscoll, who helmed the bureau after the inauguration of President Trump, remains undisclosed to date. Driscoll’s conclusion of his service with the FBI is imminent, said these anonymous sources.
Driscoll himself appears to be as perplexed by this sudden decision, as he indicated in a note to his colleagues. ‘The sudden decision leaves many queries in your minds which I can’t address,’ he confessed, a parting message devoid of bitterness. Driscoll could not elucidate any cause for his dismissal as none had been explicitly mentioned by the agency.
Another significant dismissal marks the end of Steven Jensen’s tenure who had been functioning as the assistant director of the Washington field office for the past few months. This particular field office is regarded as one of the busiest and largest branches of the FBI. Jensen confirmed this abrupt termination in a message shared with his colleagues.
In his farewell message, Jensen tried to maintain a decorum, saying he aimed to tackle this sudden obstacle like every other setback he had to encounter during his tenure at the organization, with dignity, integrity, and professionalism. Jensen also did not provide any specific reason for his termination. His appointment to the position had however been subject to severe criticism by a faction of Trump loyalists. This was primarily due to his earlier role in overseeing a section on domestic terrorism post the Capitol riot of 2021.
The FBI has disparaged this attack that saw supporters of the then-incumbent Republican President storm the Capitol in an attempt to subvert the certification of electoral results following President Trump’s electoral defeat to Democrat Joe Biden, labeling it as an act of domestic terrorism. In the backdrop, the agency appears to be inconsistent in taking concrete action themselves.
Walter Giardina is yet another agent reportedly being shown the door. Giardina had previously come under the scanner of Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, due to his involvement in prior investigations relating to Trump aide Peter Navarro, who was later found guilty of contempt of Congress.
The FBI Agents Association expressed its concerns about the sudden dismissal of these high-ranking officials and stated it was examining all legal alternatives to safeguard its members. It asserted that the unwarranted termination of agents would in fact, compromise the safety of the nation.
According to the organization’s statement, ‘There is a standing review process when any action related to employment is taken against agents. This process ensures independence and apolitical conduct of the FBI, a commitment its leadership vowed to honor publicly and directly to the FBI Agents Association. We beseech them to respect that commitment and follow the law,’ making it clear that due process was a requisite in order to maintain transparency.
News about the departure of Jensen and Driscoll adds to an even larger departure of personnel that has occurred in the past few months under the aegis of FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino. There have been numerous occurrences of senior officials, including top agents in charge of big-city field offices, being asked to step down. This often included subjecting some agents to lie-detector tests, inducing unrest amongst the workforce.
Driscoll, an experienced agent with his focus in international terrorism investigations based out of New York and the former commander of the bureau’s Hostage Rescue Team, has been an invaluable asset to the agency. Most recently, he was heading the bureau’s Critical Incident Response Group, responsible for managing crisis situations.
Driscoll made headlines when he, along with Robert Kissane (the then-deputy director), refused to submit to the Trump administration’s demands for a list of agents who participated in the investigations related to the January 6 incident. This request was viewed by many within the bureau as a probable trigger for massive layoffs.
Emil Bove, a former senior Justice Department official who last week secure a seat on a federal appeals court, had accused the FBI leaders of being insubordinate for resisting his request to identify the team behind the January 6 investigations. He claimed his request was meant to allow an assessment of the behavior of these specific agents per an executive order on ‘weaponization’ in the Biden administration.
In response to Bove’s request, the FBI, without naming particular agents, provided personnel details regarding several thousand employees. Driscoll, in his farewell address, hailed his tenure at the FBI, acknowledging, ‘It was a life’s privilege to work alongside every one of you.’ He expressed gratitude for the undying commitment and sacrifice for the people they collectively served, and applauded the courage of his colleagues.
Under Patel’s influence, the FBI seems to be adopting an aggressive stance in dismissing or demoting agents seen as misaligned with bureau leadership or the previous administration. For example, in April, agents who were photographed taking a knee at a racial justice protest in Washington following George Floyd’s unfortunate demise in 2020 were reassigned. Meanwhile, countless special agents in charge of field offices were instructed to either retire, resign, or accept a different role.
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