12 fired FBI agents sue Patel, Bondi, FBI and DOJ in D.C. federal court
Twelve FBI agents who were fired after kneeling to de‑escalate a mixed crowd during a June 4, 2020 George Floyd protest filed a 47‑page lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., proceeding anonymously as Jane and John Does and represented by attorney Mary Dohrmann and the Washington Litigation Group, suing Kash Patel, former AG Pam Bondi, the FBI and the Department of Justice. The complaint says the agents—who lacked riot gear and say their kneeling prevented violence—were cleared by an FBI deputy director and faulted by the DOJ Inspector General as having no political motive, but were later removed after Patel cited “unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality”; plaintiffs allege partisan animus (citing Patel’s book), note that about 16 removed agents worked in counterintelligence/counterterrorism, and warn the firings make the country less safe.
📌 Key Facts
- Twelve fired FBI agents filed a 47‑page lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia suing Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI and the DOJ.
- The plaintiffs are proceeding anonymously as Jane and John Does; one plaintiff identified as Jane Doe 5 was a Deputy Assistant Director overseeing counterintelligence who was allegedly removed at Patel’s direction after kneeling on June 4, 2020.
- The lawsuit recounts the June 4, 2020 incident: agents, lacking riot gear and wearing FBI‑marked vests, knelt to de‑escalate a mixed crowd; plaintiffs say the tactic dispersed the crowd, prevented violence and no shots were fired.
- Both a then‑FBI deputy director and the DOJ Inspector General concluded the kneeling agents had no political motive and faulted the department for placing the agents in a precarious operational situation during the protest.
- After Patel took over the FBI in February, several kneeling agents were removed from supervisory roles and a new disciplinary inquiry was launched; plaintiffs’ counsel says roughly 16 of the removed agents worked in counterintelligence and counterterrorism and warned the mass firings make the country "less safe."
- Termination letters in September said the agents showed "unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality," accusing them of contributing to the "political weaponization of government;" plaintiffs point to Patel’s book "Government Gangsters" as evidence of partisan animus.
- Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Mary Dohrmann and the Washington Litigation Group; Dohrmann said internal FBI processes are being subverted in a way that "makes us all less safe."
- The FBI declined to comment on the pending litigation and the DOJ did not immediately respond.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2015 and December 2024, the rate of fatal police shootings stood at 6.1 per million of the population per year for Black Americans, 2.9 for Hispanic Americans, and 2.4 for White Americans.
Rate of fatal police shootings U.S. 2015-2024, by ethnicity — Statista
In 2023, the homicide victimization rate was 21.3 per 100,000 for Black persons and 3.2 per 100,000 for White persons in the United States.
Homicide Victimization in the United States, 2023 — Bureau of Justice Statistics
Social vulnerability, race, and place are three important predictors of fatal police shootings.
Analyzing Fatal Police Shootings: The Roles of Social Vulnerability, Race, and Place — American Journal of Preventive Medicine
The Black (non-Hispanic) population in the District of Columbia decreased by 6.6 percentage points to 43.4% between recent census periods.
District of Columbia, DC population by year, race, & more — USAFacts
📰 Sources (4)
- The suit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and spans 47 pages.
- Plaintiffs are proceeding anonymously as Jane and John Does; one (Jane Doe 5) was a Deputy Assistant Director overseeing counterintelligence who was allegedly removed at Patel’s direction because she kneeled on June 4, 2020.
- Detailed account of the June 4, 2020 incident: agents lacked riot gear, wore FBI-marked vests, knelt to de-escalate a mixed crowd, and say the tactic prevented violence.
- Plaintiffs cite Kash Patel’s book "Government Gangsters" to argue partisan animus motivated their terminations.
- Attorney Mary Dohrmann is quoted saying: “Internal FBI processes are being subverted in a way that makes us all less safe,” and the FBI declined comment on pending litigation.
- Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Mary Dohrmann and the Washington Litigation Group.
- Kash Patel’s termination letters to agents stated they showed 'unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality.'
- Plaintiffs’ counsel said about 16 of the removed agents worked in counterintelligence and counterterrorism, warning the 'country is less safe' after the mass firings.
- Context noted that Patel and AG Pam Bondi have vowed to end what they call 'weaponization' and have removed both senior and lower‑level DOJ/FBI personnel.
- FBI declined comment; DOJ did not immediately respond.
- Lawsuit says the then–FBI deputy director previously determined the kneeling agents had no political motive and should not be punished.
- DOJ Inspector General reached a similar conclusion and faulted the department for putting the agents in a precarious situation during the June 4, 2020 protest.
- Timeline details: after Kash Patel took over the FBI in February, several kneeling agents were removed from supervisory roles and a new disciplinary inquiry was launched.
- Termination letters in September cited 'unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of government.'
- Lawsuit narrative adds operational context: agents lacked protective gear/training for crowd control, knelt to de-escalate, crowds dispersed, and no shots were fired.