Ex-FBI agents involved in Arctic Frost probe sue for wrongful termination
Two former FBI agents who helped investigate efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election sued Thursday to challenge their abrupt firings from the bureau, arguing that their terminations were "solely"...
By Fox News · Fox News
Two former FBI agents who helped investigate efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election sued Thursday to challenge their abrupt firings from the bureau, arguing that their terminations were "solely" due to their involvement in the probe. The two agents, identified only as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, accused FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi of politically retaliating against them for their work in the 2020 election case, known internally as "Arctic Frost," despite having played brief and largely administrative roles in the investigation. The lawsuit argues that the firings were a violation of FBI policy as well as the agents' rights under the First and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution. Both former agents are seeking reinstatement to the bureau, and a declaration from the court that their terminations were unlawful. FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION "Political support for President Trump is not a legal or appropriate requirement for the effective performance of plaintiffs’ respective roles within the F.B.I.," the lawsuit states. "Accordingly, perceived lack of political support for President Trump is an impermissible basis for termination of plaintiffs’ F.B.I. employment." According to the lawsuit, the two agents were fired last fall, within a five-day period, and shortly after, unredacted internal documents related to the Arctic Frost probe were shared with members of Congress. FBI Director Kash Patel proceeded to "summarily" fire both agents in late October and early November, the lawsuit says, "without evidence," and without "internal investigation, notice, or hearing" to precede their terminations. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment on their removals, or the new lawsuit. During House testimony Thursday, however, FBI Director Kash Patel dismissed criticism raised by Democrats about terminations within the bureau. "There…