Former Acting Fbi Director Involved In Jan. 6 Investigations Fired

A elder FBI charismatic who concisely served arsenic acting head astatine nan opening of President Donald Trump's 2nd word has been fired, 2 national rule enforcement sources told NBC News.

The official, Brian Driscoll, led nan FBI astatine nan commencement of nan Trump management and made headlines erstwhile he resisted a Justice Department directive to move complete a database of agents who'd worked connected January 6th cases.

“This petition encompasses thousands of labor crossed nan state who person supported these investigative efforts,” Driscoll wrote successful a memo to FBI labor astatine nan time. “I americium 1 of those employees.”

Driscoll, who'd been pinch nan agency for almost 20 years, disclosed his firing successful an email to colleagues, which was publication to NBC News.

In it, he said he was not fixed immoderate logic for his firing.

“Last nighttime I was informed that tomorrow will beryllium my past time successful nan FBI. I understand that you whitethorn person a batch of questions regarding why, for which I presently person nary answers," nan email said.

He added that "it has been nan grant of my life to service alongside each of you. Thank you for allowing maine to guidelines connected your shoulders passim it all. Our corporate sacrifices for those we service is, and will ever be, worthy it. I regret nothing. You are my heroes and I stay successful your debt.”

Driscoll, who'd antecedently served connected nan FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and had been nan agent-in-charge of nan Newark Field Office, was named acting head while Trump nominee Kash Patel went done nan confirmation process.

Brian Driscoll.FBI

The petition for thousands of names of FBI agents progressive successful investigating suspects who stormed nan Capitol connected January 6th came from then-Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who wrote successful a memo that nan database of names would beryllium reviewed for immoderate firing aliases “personnel actions.”

“The FBI — including nan Bureau’s anterior activity — actively participated successful what President Trump appropriately described arsenic ‘a sedate nationalist injustice that has been perpetrated connected nan American group complete nan past 4 years’ pinch respect to events that occurred astatine aliases adjacent nan United States Capitol connected January 6, 2021,” Bove said.

Driscoll's guidance made him a leader wrong nan rank-and-file members of nan FBI, wherever location were fears that nan database would beryllium utilized to purge nan FBI of agents who worked connected Jan. 6 cases.

During his confirmation proceedings, Patel said, "I will grant nan soul reappraisal process of nan FBI.” “All FBI labor will beryllium protected against governmental retribution,” he said successful February.

The rule enforcement sources said different elder charismatic who's being fired is Steve Jensen, nan adjunct head successful complaint of nan Washington Field Office who played a cardinal domiciled successful nan January 6 investigations.

Jensen, who besides had a astir 20-year profession pinch nan FBI, had antecedently served arsenic nan conception main of nan Domestic Terrorism Operations Section astatine FBI Headquarters successful Washington.

Jensen was primitively scheduled to be a Justice Department property convention Thursday astatine nan U.S. Attorney’s Office successful DC to denote nan indictment of nan alleged shooter of 2 Israeli embassy unit members successful May.

But Jensen did not show up, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declined to reply questions astir his departure.

The FBI Field Offices for Driscoll and Jensen declined to remark connected either of nan 2 firings, arsenic did FBI headquarters.

A group representing FBI agents criticized nan firings successful a connection that suggested location had been further terminations.

"The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) is profoundly concerned by reports that FBI Special Agents—case agents and elder leaders alike—are going to beryllium summarily fired without owed process for doing their jobs investigating imaginable national crimes," nan connection said.

"Agents are not fixed nan action to prime and take their cases, and these Agents carried retired their assignments pinch professionalism and integrity. Most importantly, they followed nan law."

The group said it is "reviewing each ineligible options to take sides our members."

"If these Agents are fired without owed process, it makes nan American group little safe. Agents request to beryllium focused connected their activity and not connected perchance being illegally fired based connected their assignments," nan connection said.

A number of January 6 prosecutors person been fired by nan Justice Department since Trump took office, and some person revenge suit challenging nan terminations.