Overview
- David Maltinsky, a 16-year FBI employee, filed an 18-page lawsuit in Washington, D.C., seeking reinstatement and back pay after his Oct. 1 dismissal three weeks before graduating from the FBI Academy.
- A termination letter signed by Director Kash Patel called the Pride flag an "inappropriate display of political signage" from Maltinsky's prior Los Angeles assignment, according to copies provided to the press.
- The complaint says the Progress Pride flag had flown outside the Los Angeles field office in 2021, was later given to him, and was displayed at his workstation with supervisory and Chief Division Counsel approval.
- Maltinsky alleges a coworker raised a concern on Jan. 20, 2025, and he asserts First and Fifth Amendment violations; the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.
- The suit names Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, and the DOJ as defendants and describes a chilling effect on LGBTQ+ employees, with coverage placing the case within a wider wave of recent DOJ personnel departures.