The FBI has restored the security clearance of an agent previously under suspicion of misconduct concerning investigations of January 6 defendants. The agent was also granted 27 months of back pay.
Agent Marcus Allen faced internal scrutiny over claims that he had withheld relevant information during an investigation into the January 6 defendants. Shortly before Allen was scheduled to testify before a House GOP committee examining the Justice Department’s investigations, the FBI announced it had completely revoked his clearance.
In a May 31 letter reviewed by POLITICO, FBI Executive Assistant Director Timothy Dunham wrote, “My decision to reinstate your security clearance is based upon a determination that the original security concerns have been investigated and have been sufficiently mitigated.”
Marcus Allen, who last year joined a panel of FBI agents identifying as “whistleblowers,” challenged the revocation of his clearance and sought a review from Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz. The Inspector General recently highlighted concerns about how security clearance suspensions are managed, especially for officials alleging “retaliation” from their superiors.
“This is total vindication for Marcus,” said Tristan Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight, which represented Allen and other self-identified whistleblowers in congressional testimony. “The FBI has completely backed down and provided everything we had requested for Marcus. The evidence and the FBI’s capitulation clearly show there was absolutely no truth to their accusations.”
