Two groups of FBI special agents facing political retribution over their work on the criminal cases against Donald Trump have sued the Department of Justice. Notably, their names aren’t anywhere on the lawsuits.
On Tuesday, nine FBI employees identified only as “John Doe” or “Jane Doe” filed a class action lawsuit against the Justice Department hoping to stop the agency from firing them this week — or taking other actions that could put a target on their backs. Shortly thereafter, another seven bureau employees and the FBI Agents Association — a nonprofit that represents the interests of investigators there — filed a similar lawsuit seeking a judge’s temporary restraining order.
The agents, who worked on Jan. 6-related criminal cases and the classified documents case, warned that by publishing their names, Trump’s allies would be creating what’s tantamount to a hit list for pardoned Jan. 6 insurrectionists seeking revenge.