FBI agents who investigated Trump file lawsuit alleging retaliatory firing

Former agents say that they were fired for work on probe into Trump’s efforts to stay in power after 2020 election loss.Three former agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that they were wrongfully fired in retaliation for their work in the United States.The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, marks the latest legal challenge against efforts under President Donald Trump to purge staff at the federal law enforcement agency.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3FBI agents allege wrongful termination for kneeling during US protestlist 2 of 3Five US lawmakers investigated over warning troops about illegal orderslist 3 of 3Donald Trump’s actions stir election concerns in the lead-up to US midtermsend of listThe three agents involved — Michelle Ball, Jamie Garman and Blaire Toleman — argue that their employment was terminated as a result of their work on an investigation into Trump’s efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election.Career agents at the FBI are nonpartisan employees. The three plaintiffs argued that agents should not be required to show “fealty to any political party, movement, or figure”.“Serving the American people as FBI agents was the highest honor of our lives,” the agents said in a statement.“We took an oath to uphold the Constitution, followed the facts wherever they led and never compromised our integrity. Our removal from federal service — without due process and based on a false perception of political bias — is a profound injustice that raises serious concerns about political interference in federal law enforcement.”Each of the former agents had between eight and 14 years of experience at the FBI.In their 48-page complaint, they explain they were abruptly fired in October and November in what they describe as a “retribution campaign” under the Trump administration.The lawsuit explains they received termination letters, signed by FBI Director Kash Patel, that “baselessly accused them of ‘weaponizing’ their positions within the government”.