The US Justice Department has reportedly launched a review of the January 6 investigations amid concerns of a political purge
Thousands of FBI personnel have been instructed to provide details about their roles in the investigations into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, Reuters and AP reported over the weekend. The directive, issued via a memo seen by the outlets, reportedly requires employees to disclose their job titles and responsibilities in the probes, raising fears of potential firings.
The January 6 riots saw supporters of President Donald Trump storm the US Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of the 2020 election results. Around 140 police officers were injured in the incident and five people lost their lives during or immediately after the riots. Following the attack, federal investigations led to numerous arrests and more than 1,500 people were charged with federal crimes. After re-entering office last month, Trump commuted the sentences of 14 people connected with the riots and issued pardons for the rest.
According to AP, citing a person familiar with the matter, around 4,000 agents have now been ordered to fill out a questionnaire asking them to describe their office and title and to specify their involvement in the probes, including whether they took part in carrying out search warrants, conducted interviews, or testified at trials.
Additionally, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove issued a memo last week, also seen by the outlets, stating that Justice Department officials would carry out a “review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary” after the questionnaires are submitted.
Last week, Bove dismissed more than a dozen Justice Department prosecutors who worked on former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election and supposed mishandling of classified documents. He also instructed acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll to fire eight senior executives in the agency.
Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns over what they see as a political purge of the FBI and the Justice Department. They argue that officials who handled cases involving Trump and the January 6 rioters are being intentionally targeted, according to media reports.
According to NBC news, Driscoll has pushed back against the Justice Department inquiry and has reportedly announced that he would not assist in the firing of agents involved in the January 6 riot cases.
In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, Trump criticized the FBI, accusing it of being biased against him and claiming that the agency had become “politicized.”
