Three former senior FBI officials—Brian Driscoll, Steven Jensen, and Spencer Evans—have filed a lawsuit in federal court, saying they were pushed out of the bureau for political reasons. The suit names the FBI, the Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the current FBI director Kash Patel as defendants.
Driscoll once served as the bureau’s acting director, Jensen led the Washington, D.C. field office, and Evans was in charge of the Las Vegas division. All three claim they were removed in August after refusing to carry out requests that they believed were improper.
In their complaint, the officials state that Patel told them he was under orders from the Justice Department and the White House to dismiss anyone who had worked on investigations connected to former president Donald Trump. According to the lawsuit, Patel admitted to at least one of the officials that the firings were “likely illegal,” but said he had no choice if he wanted to keep his own position.
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Allegations of Retaliation and Political Pressure
The lawsuit describes several events that the plaintiffs believe led to their removal. Driscoll says he was asked to create lists of FBI employees who had been involved in cases tied to Trump. He also claims he tried to prevent the firing of a longtime FBI pilot who had been falsely accused on social media of signing the warrant used to search Trump’s Florida estate at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly after resisting that order, Driscoll was dismissed from his role.
Jensen states he was fired because of his work on investigations into individuals charged in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Evans says he was forced out after approving COVID-19 vaccine exemptions for bureau employees during the pandemic, a decision that was viewed negatively by Patel and others.
The plaintiffs also claim that the actions taken against them violated their constitutional rights. They argue that they were punished for their work assignments, which is against FBI policies, and that they were denied fair process before losing their jobs. The lawsuit also says Patel told Driscoll that he expected to be sued and deposed because of the way the firings were handled.
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Shocking Interview Questions and Statements
The lawsuit includes details that the former officials say highlight the political nature of the pressure they faced. Driscoll alleges that during an interview for a higher position early in the Trump administration, he was asked questions about his political views and voting history. He says he was asked who he voted for in the most recent election, if he had ever voted for Democrats in past elections, and his opinions on diversity and inclusion programs. He was also asked whether FBI agents who took part in the search of Trump’s property should face punishment.
Driscoll says he refused to answer questions about his personal political choices. He was told later that he had failed the vetting interview, although he did eventually receive a promotion at a later time.
Another claim in the lawsuit is tied to remarks from Emil Bove, who was serving as Acting Attorney General at the time and is now a federal judge. According to Driscoll, Bove said no proof of misconduct was needed to remove FBI personnel. Instead, they could be dismissed if leadership felt a “loss of confidence” in their loyalty to the administration’s goals. When Driscoll warned that the threat of mass firings was creating fear and instability within the FBI workforce, Bove allegedly replied that this was “the intent.”
The lawsuit argues that these comments, along with the sudden dismissals, show a clear effort to politicize the bureau. Driscoll, Jensen, and Evans are now seeking to be reinstated to their former positions and to block further removals of officials without following proper procedures.