Overview

• Plaintiffs Brian Driscoll, Steven Jensen and Spencer Evans say they were abruptly terminated in August despite decades of service, including roles leading the Washington and Las Vegas field offices and a stint as acting FBI director.
• The 68-page lawsuit, filed in D.C. federal court, names FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, the Justice Department and the Executive Office of the President as defendants.
• The complaint alleges Patel told Driscoll he was instructed by his superiors to fire anyone tied to criminal investigations of President Donald Trump, acknowledged the actions were “likely illegal,” and said “the FBI tried to put the president in jail and he hasn’t forgotten it.”
• The suit describes pressure from pro-Trump social media accounts and says concerns over online backlash influenced personnel moves, citing Deputy Director Dan Bongino and incidents involving a falsely accused FBI pilot and attacks on Jensen and Evans.
• The plaintiffs seek reinstatement, back pay and a declaration that the firings violated law and FBI protocols; the FBI has declined comment and the case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb.