House GOP embraces FBI whistleblowers despite bureau yanking clearances over Jan. 6

If FBI officials thought a last-minute explanation invoking the Jan. 6 Capitol attack would cool House Republicans’ fervent accusations that the bureau retaliates against whistleblowers, they were wrong.

In a Thursday hearing by a panel investigating GOP claims of bias within the federal government, Republican lawmakers for the first time publicly aired testimony from FBI whistleblowers — who Democrats were quick to argue did not meet the definition to be classified as such — after saying for months that they have had dozens of people come forward to provide tips.

Only a day before, the bureau sent a letter to the committee, which was obtained by POLITICO, saying two of the GOP’s witnesses had their security clearances revoked due to improper actions related to Jan. 6, when a mob of pro-Trump supporters forced their way into the Capitol to disrupt the counting of electoral votes.

Democrats highlighted the letter repeatedly at the hearing, saying it was the latest sign of Republicans embracing the pro-Trump attack.

“My colleagues have brought in these former agents, men who lost their security clearances, because they were a threat to our national security. Who out of malice or ignorance or both have put partisan agenda above the oath they swore to serve this country,” said Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.), the top Democrat on the panel.

But the leak of the letter only seemed to harden Republicans’ resolve, who painted it as an attempt to further retaliate against the witnesses for agreeing to testify publicly before the Judiciary subcommittee.

“It doesn't surprise me that the FBI puts out this letter the night before we're going to have a hearing,” Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said when asked about the letter.

The FBI disclosed to the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that two of the scheduled witnesses — Marcus Allen and Steve Friend — had their security clearances revoked earlier this month, according to a letter from Christopher Dunham, the acting assistant director of the FBI.

Allen allegedly “failed to provide relevant information” as part of an investigation into individuals who were accused of engaging in criminal behavior in the Capitol on Jan. 6. Allen also, according to the FBI review, “expressed sympathy for persons or organizations that advocate, threaten, or use force or violence, or use any other illegal or unconstitutional means, in an effort to prevent federal government personnel from performing their official duties.”

Meanwhile, Friend, according to that same letter, “espoused an alternative narrative about the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021” while describing to superiors why he would not participate in a search and arrest. He also, according to the letter, recorded a meeting with his superiors and took part in an unapproved interview with a Russian government news agency. His security clearance was revoked on May 16.

Friend called the timing of the release “dubious” during the hearing. Allen, meanwhile, called the leak of the letter “unbecoming of the organization given the public trust.”

Republicans also released an interim report of their own on Thursday entitled “FBI whistleblower testimony highlights government abuse, misallocation of resources and retaliation.” In the report, Republicans accuse the bureau of “egregious abuse, misallocation of law-enforcement resources and misconduct with the leadership ranks of the FBI.” They also accused the FBI of using the security clearance review process to punish whistleblowers.

Tristan Leavitt, a president of Empower Oversight, noted that the Justice Department inspector general is investigating Friend’s and Allen’s claims.

The GOP conducted some of its investigation without Democratic involvement, which emerged as a point of contention throughout Thursday’s hearing. The GOP report noted that Allen requested to speak only to committee Republicans. Allen argued during Thursday’s hearing that he was worried Democrats would leak parts of his transcript.

It’s hardly the first time Republicans have faced skepticism about who they are speaking to as part of their investigations.

Democrats had previously accused another witness, Garret O’Boyle, of not detailing why he had been suspended from the FBI and not sharing equal information with both Republicans and Democrats on the committee. O’Boyle confirmed during Thursday’s hearing that his suspension was still being adjudicated.

Friend and O’Boyle have also received mysterious payments from Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official, according to a Democratic report released earlier this year. Friend also works at the Center for Renewing America, which is run by Trump’s former budget director Russ Vought.

Jordan, however, defended the payments, noting that O’Boyle in particular had been suspended.

“Of course they are going to do whatever they can to feed their families,” he said. “I don’t fault them for that.”

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By: Jordain Carney
Title: House GOP embraces FBI whistleblowers despite bureau yanking clearances over Jan. 6
Sourced From: www.politico.com/news/2023/05/18/house-gop-fbi-whistleblowers-jan-6-00097740
Published Date: Thu, 18 May 2023 16:11:00 EST

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