By Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Advocacy groups representing FBI agents appealed to the U.S. Congress on Monday to intervene to stop possible mass firings of agents who worked on the investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack and other probes condemned by President Donald Trump.
In a letter to Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives, the groups warned that Trump-appointed leaders at the Justice Department were taking actions that imperiled the careers of thousands of FBI agents.
Republicans hold narrow majorities in both the chambers and have so far shown little interest in criticizing or reining in the administration’s actions.
A senior Justice Department official appointed by Trump asked the FBI to compile a list of employees who worked on cases related to the Capitol attack. FBI employees were ordered to fill out a questionnaire on Sunday detailing their work on those cases.
“We urge you to work with President Trump to prevent acting officials from taking personnel actions that undermine our shared goal of keeping the FBI out of politics,” the groups wrote in the letter. It was signed by the head of the FBI Agents Association, which represents 14,000 current and former special agents, and other law enforcement groups.
The directive has stoked fears that the Trump administration, which has already fired or reassigned dozens of Justice Department prosecutors and senior FBI officials, may take action against FBI agents who worked on the Capitol riot probe.
The Justice Department has not commented on the personnel moves. Officials have said some of the moves were aimed at employees who could not be trusted to carry out Trump’s agenda.
Separately on Monday, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats wrote letters to Trump’s nominees to lead the Justice Department and FBI demanding records relating to the removal of career officials.
“We can only assume these decisions are intended to prevent the Department from investigating national security and public corruption, while also serving as political retribution against the President’s perceived enemies,” lawmakers led by Senator Dick Durbin wrote in the letter.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Jamie Freed)
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