A settlement announced on Tuesday reveals that ten FBI whistleblowers will regain their security clearances and be compensated for lost wages, after facing repercussions tied to their political beliefs and whistleblowing on bureau fraud.
Senator Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, remarked that these ten individuals faced unjust suspensions totaling less than 12 years. He characterized their treatment as akin to being “treated like skunks at a picnic” due to their political beliefs and disclosures. Now, he noted, they are finally receiving the justice they deserve.
Grassley has long been involved in advancing the settlement for whistleblowers retaliated against during the Biden administration, which included pay loss, suspensions, and security clearance revocations, as indicated by his Senate office.
A legal nonprofit organization represents the ten FBI employees. In a letter to the FBI’s general counsel dated March 5, the organization detailed the inappropriate “retaliatory targeting” of these individuals.
The letter also states:
The new leadership at the FBI acknowledges its authority to address past mistakes and expresses a willingness to collaborate to find amicable solutions for each case.
Some whistleblowers highlighted their experiences with retaliation, such as one agent who faced indefinite suspension and lost security clearance after the SWAT team cited his involvement in the January 6 riot case. Another agent was suspended without pay and lost his security clearance following false accusations of leaking sensitive information from a conservative journalism organization. Additionally, an agent in New Orleans lost his security clearance after reporting prosecutorial misconduct relating to a plea deal involving a district attorney.
Female staff members at the FBI also faced punitive actions for reporting mismanagement regarding criminal history checks.
A letter from their lawyers stated that the agency’s actions towards their clients were retaliatory and targeted them based on their political beliefs.
The identities of four whistleblowers remain anonymous.
Tristan Leavitt, president of the nonprofit, expressed gratitude towards Grassley for his ongoing support and emphasized that the battle to safeguard whistleblowers is far from over. He pointed out the need for continued remedies for those affected and reaffirmed the commitment to address weaponization and retaliation against whistleblowers.
