As RedState reported previously, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association (FBIAA) sued the Department of Justice (DOJ), asserting unlawful retaliation, Privacy Act and Administrative Procedures Act violations, as well as First Amendment and due process violations, in relation to January 6th.
The primary concern raised by the FBIAA and nine John/Jane Doe agents was that agents identified in response to a questionnaire aimed at identifying those who worked the J6 cases would have their identities and information publicly disseminated.
FBI v. DOJ – Agents Sue to Block Public Identification of Those Who Worked on J6
NEW: DOJ Memo Clarifies FBI Rank and File Aren’t on Chopping Block Over J6
Subsequent to the suit’s filing, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove issued a memo clarifying the DOJ’s position on the matter and affirming that FBI employees who “simply followed orders” with respect to their investigations into J6 will not be fired or face any other penalties.
District of Columbia U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb held a hearing with the parties Thursday, after which she entered an administrative stay while scheduling an additional hearing for Friday on the Plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order. On Friday, the parties advised the court that they had conferred and reached an agreement and asked the court to forego the hearing and enter the consent order.
The order, which may be viewed below, vacates the administrative stay and provides that the Government (DOJ) will not disseminate the list of agents/employees before the court issues a ruling on the Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary action unless it first provides two business days’ notice to the court and the Plaintiffs. Further, it sets out the briefing schedule as to Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction, which will push the hearing on that until late March. (The issue may well be moot by then.)
The nutshell version of what happened here is that the DOJ has agreed not to publicly identify FBI agents/employees involved in investigating J6 — for now. And if things aren’t sorted out before then, the court will hold a hearing in late March on the issue of whether or not to formally issue an injunction on the DOJ’s actions in this regard.
RedState will continue to monitor the matter and provide updates as they become available.
FBI-DOJ Consent Order – 2-7-25 by Susie Moore
