FBI Sues DOJ to Shield Identities in Jan. 6 Probe

FBI employees have initiated lawsuits against the U.S. Justice Department to protect their identities, as the DOJ seeks a list of agents involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol investigation. Concerns arise about potential retribution from Trump supporters after their pardons. The FBI partially complied by withholding names.

Two groups of FBI employees filed lawsuits against the U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday. They aim to protect the identities of agents involved in investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol storming by Donald Trump's supporters. Concerns are growing as pardoned rioters have started naming agents on social media.

The lawsuits came before a deadline set by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who ordered the FBI to submit a list of all employees who played a role in the Jan. 6 investigation. Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll confirmed the list would cover thousands of employees, but the submitted list excluded their names, an insider revealed.

The Justice Department's intentions with the list remain unclear, while a DOJ spokesperson refused to comment. The lawsuits assert that publishing the list could endanger agents by making them vulnerable to threats from the now-forgiven rioters. The legal action highlights an ongoing tension over the consequences of the Capitol attack investigation.