Not long after current FBI Director Kash Patel was confirmed for the position within President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, he started working toward booting all the agents who had kneeled on June 4, 2020. Those same individuals have now filed a lawsuit against Patel, stating that they wouldn’t have been fired if they had the same political affiliations as the individuals who were involved in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, Mary Dohrmann, spoke with media outlet Politico, stating that the defendants are “targeting these patriotic and highly-skilled FBI agents for purely partisan reasons.” She then went on to add, “These partisan firings are the true weaponization of government. The nation is less safe as a result.”
The lawsuit goes on to say that the agents in question were patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital on June 4, 2020, in response to civil unrest that was inspired by the death of George Floyd just days prior. An unruly mob comprised of individuals and young kids. The suit then alleges that the agents took a knee in order to de-escalate the situation.
“As a result of their tactical decision to kneel, the mass of people moved on without escalating to violence,” the suit goes on to say. It also contrasts the way agents responded to that situation with the actions of British soldiers during the 1770 Boston Masssacre, according to Politico. “Plaintiffs did not need to discharge their firearms that day. Plaintiffs saved American lives.”
The agents then complained that they received harsh, immediate backlash for their actions. In 2023, former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) penned a letter addressed to Trump-appointed FBI Director Christopher Wray, demanding answers about the confrontation and the agents’ response. Trump, who was not in office at the time, posted an article about the letter on his Truth Social account.
Not long after the incident, FBI and DOJ leadership, which included Wray and then-Deputy Director David Bowdich, determined the action taken by the agents was apolitical and in full compliance with bureau policy, the lawsuit says. “These agents defused a dangerous situation without firing a single shot. Isn’t that exactly what we want from law enforcement?” John Kuchta, who represents one of the agents, went on to say in a statement.
Patel then took action of his own, launching another review of the case in 2026, despite some of the agents involved in the incident no longer being employed by the FBI. The review concluded that the need for disciplinary action was unnecessary. However, Patel sent all 12 agents a letter accusing them of “unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of government.”
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The agents, who are clearly offended at having been called out for their political bias, want to be reinstated by the bureau, provided with back pay, and are suing for additional damages. When Politico reached out to the White House for a comment, they referred the outlet to the FBI. Both the FBI and the Department of Justice decided not to comment on the situation.
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