FBI agents fired over Trump probe get backing

Three FBI agents, Michelle Bachelet, Jamie Garman, and Blaire Toleman, who were fired last year for their roles in the investigation into President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, are receiving support from multiple outside groups in their lawsuit against the FBI. The BSV Association, along with former Justice Department officials, First Amendment Scholars, Lawyers for the Rule of Law, and Justice Connection, have filed amicus briefs arguing that the firings were illegal, denied due process, and punished perceived political affiliation. The agents allege they were terminated in a retribution campaign by FBI Director Kash Patel, who has purged employees perceived as against the administration. The investigation culminated in an indictment by special counsel Jack Smith, which was later abandoned after Trump won the 2024 election. The briefs warn that the purge undermines the FBI's independence and chills future investigative work.