By Steve Neavling
The FBI has provided the Justice Department with names of employees who worked on January 6-related cases after a tense standoff over protecting agent identities, CNN reports.
The names were submitted through a classified system to prevent public disclosure, acting Director Brian Driscoll told employees Thursday.
“I want to be clear that as of now we do not have information indicating the Department of Justice intends to disseminate these lists publicly, and they are fully aware of the risks we believe are inherent in doing so,” Driscoll wrote in an email.
The Justice Department had initially requested the names as part of a review of Jan. 6 investigations, including the case against Donald Trump. The FBI first provided information on more than 5,000 employees — without names — but DOJ acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove called that “insubordination.”
Bove insisted the review wasn’t meant as retaliation, saying only those who “acted with corrupt or partisan intent” or “weaponized the FBI” should be concerned. He didn’t rule out consequences, but DOJ has indicated agents won’t be fired en masse.
Some FBI employees, backed by the agency’s union, have sued to block any broader release of their names, citing safety concerns. DOJ attorney Jeremy Simon said in court that while the department hasn’t officially disclosed the list, other officials may have accessed it through “unofficial” channels.
