Just when you think the FBI couldn’t be any more public relations tone deaf, they toss out another, even more, discordant composition. One would think FBI agents would be soooo proud of their January 6 work. After all, the DOJ and FBI bragged J6 was the biggest, most important case ever. It was worse than Pearl Harbor, worse than anything. The lives of Kamala Harris and AOC were in mortal danger though neither was in the Capitol Building. Loads of Capitol Police officers were killed, even though none were. It was the insurrection, and a guy in a buffalo hat who was escorted through the building by Capitol Police led the mob that nearly overthrew the government. It was so close the protestors left after a few hours and Congress finished its business.

The FBI manfully rounded up some 1,500 Americans, many in SWAT theater, early morning raids, often media accompanied. Most of the charges were misdemeanors that would have resulted in a small fine elsewhere, but they don’t get that many opportunities to play SWAT dress up, so why not? Then Donald Trump came along and pardoned every one of the insurrectionists, and even worse, he wants to find out what really happened and he’s not kidding.

Trump has already fired a bunch of the top FBI brass, and he’s forced the FBI to fork over the names of some 5,000 FBI personnel who worked on the J6 and Trump inquisitions.

They apparently worked some 2,400 cases. Trump’s team is doing it right. Once they got the names, they demanded they all explain, in writing, precisely what they did on those cases. 

In law enforcement officers write reports about every case that contains that information. It’s not secret. In fact, it’s public record. There are a few exceptions, such as ongoing cases, national security, etc., but that’s not involved here. The cases are over, in the archives, and any attempt to whine about national security will rightfully be seen as subterfuge.

This is being viewed within the FBI as a retribution mission.  FBI Agents are in fear of being outed, demoted or denied promotions in the future.

Retribution? For doing their jobs? For writing reports about the most important case in Bureau history? Reports that are public record? The POTUS, any POTUS, is their boss. All he’s done is sped up the process of finding out what was done and who did it. He has that power. So of course, anonymous agents have filed a class action suit to keep the public from finding out who they are and what they did:

“Plaintiffs legitimately fear that the information being compiled will be accessed by persons who are not authorized to have access to it,” the FBI agents argued in their class action lawsuit, according to Politico. “Plaintiffs further assert that even if they are not targeted for termination, they may face other retaliatory acts such as demotion, denial of job opportunities or denial of promotions in the future.”

As I pointed out in Reforming the FBI the smart way, there are probably many agents who obeyed lawful, if unethical orders, even orders they thought unlawful for very human reasons like feeding their families. Give them the chance to tell the whole truth. If they’re completely forthcoming, put them under close supervision to ensure they’re worthy of representing the American people. In so doing, we’ll discover who did what and why, and there will be legitimate prosecutions.

Among the most corrupt FBI brass fired in the past, Andrew McCabe is sad:

Graphic: X Screenshot

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said the FBI is in “utter disarray” because President Trump is cleaning house and firing corrupt officials involved in the January 6 cases and Trump witch hunts.

McCabe said FBI agents are living in fear as they await Trump’s next big purge.

“This is a moment of terror for these people,” McCabe said.

Most of those agents aren’t proud of what they did. They know they violated American’s rights. They know there was no insurrection. They also know there were far more than a few dozen agents present on J6 and they did far more than just observe. At least some of them know all about the supposed pipe bombs. They know who gave the orders, who ran the whole, totalitarian show. 

They also know most of the people whose lives they derailed are no threat to them. They just want to get on with their lives.

So, they filed a suit, in D.C. of course, to avoid accountability. The fix is likely in. The right—left—pre-selected judge will issue an injunction proclaiming the head of the executive branch has no authority to govern the executive branch. 

If they were smart, they’d be offering to tell all, to ask for a chance to redeem themselves, to serve rather than rule the American people. They’re not smart, and they’re going to lose. They’re just trying to delay the inevitable and making it worse for themselves.

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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.