A federal judge appointed by Joe Biden has dismissed a lawsuit brought by FBI agents who feared the Trump administration’s Justice Department would retaliate against them for their involvement in Jan. 6 investigations.
U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb ruled Thursday that the agents lacked standing, calling their concerns over potential public disclosure of their identities and retaliation “too speculative.” In her 32-page decision, Cobb wrote, “They do not plausibly allege that Defendants are about to engage in any of the conduct agents are worried about.”
The agents filed the suit in February after being directed to complete a DOJ survey detailing their work related to Jan. 6. They argued the information could be used against them. Cobb acknowledged their concerns but found no evidence in the record or complaint to support the claim that the DOJ had plans to release their identities.
She also dismissed First Amendment claims as being based on “hypothetical, future terminations and unspecified ‘adverse actions’ that may never occur.” Cobb noted that arguments about the DOJ’s internal review being retaliatory were not even included in the agents’ formal complaint.
Read the Judge’s Ruling
