FBI Whistleblowers Drop Unexpected Bombshell - Patel Puts Biden On Notice
FBI whistleblowers who claim they faced retaliation after exposing misconduct within the bureau under President Joe Biden’s administration are urging newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel to reexamine their cases.
In early March, Empower Oversight, a legal advocacy group, sent a letter to FBI General Counsel Samuel Ramer requesting intervention in the alleged unjust treatment of whistleblowers, as reported by Just The News. The letter detailed cases involving FBI agents and employees, including Garret O’Boyle, Marcus Allen, Stephen Friend, Zach Schofftsall, Monica Shillingburg, and Michael Zummer.
Additionally, four other individuals were mentioned in the letter but remained unnamed, including one whistleblower who intends to disclose information about their time working under the controversial Peter Strzok.
One of the whistleblowers, staff operations specialist Marcus Allen, had his security clearance revoked “for questioning whether Director (Christopher) Wray had testified truthfully to Congress and other allegations based on SOS Allen’s political beliefs and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Assigned to the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Allen “was suspended indefinitely without pay.” Although the FBI reportedly reached a settlement with him, Empower Oversight claims the bureau has not fully honored its commitments. The organization states that Allen's W2 tax documents require correction and that he is still owed proper leave compensation.
“While I feel vindicated now in getting back my security clearance, it is sad that in the country I fought for as a Marine, the FBI was allowed to lie about my loyalty to the U.S. for two years,” Allen stated. “Unless there is accountability, it will keep happening to others. Better oversight and changes to security clearance laws are key to stop abuses suffered by whistleblowers like me.”
Empower Oversight is advocating for a “fresh review” of Allen’s and other whistleblower cases.
“The actions taken against our clients were in reprisal for protected whistleblowing and/or improper targeting because of their political beliefs,” wrote Jason Foster, the founder and chairman of the organization, in the letter to the FBI.
Foster further highlighted a recurring issue within the bureau: “The common theme among most of our clients who had their security clearances suspended and or revoked is the FBI’s ability to indefinitely delay the process and financially pressure FBI employees by suspending their pay and blocking their ability to earn a living any other way. Most facing that dilemma simply resign with no prospect of a fair process to challenge it, which allows the pattern to repeat without remedy.”
The legal representatives for the FBI agents suggested that “if the review by your office alone does not lead to direct managerial action to remedy the harms and resolve our clients’ pending matters, we would be willing to propose to our clients that they enter into mediation facilitated by a neutral mediator — assuming an acceptable senior official with no animus toward our clients is delegated settlement authority to represent the FBI in the mediation.”
Empower Oversight expressed willingness to engage in various solutions, stating, “While we appreciate your review of these cases to explore ways to amicably resolve and remedy the harms the FBI has inflicted on our clients, we are also willing to engage in other good faith efforts to reach the same goals.”
Foster emphasized the need for transparency, noting that while much of their work remains confidential to protect clients’ privacy, public scrutiny is sometimes necessary to bring about change.
“These FBI clients have waited a very long time on a system that, as of today, is still failing to keep its promises to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. It’s past time to make good on those promises and give them real meaning in these cases,” Foster concluded.