FBI Settles with Whistleblowers, Reinstates Three Agents

The FBI has reached settlement agreements with ten whistleblowers who allege their security clearances were revoked and they were placed on unpaid leave due to their political beliefs and objections to certain policies during the Biden Administration. This announcement was made by attorneys representing the whistleblowers on October 17, 2023. As part of the settlements, three outspoken members of the group known as the “Suspendables” will be reinstated to their positions within the Bureau.

The three reinstated agents—Steve Friend, Garret O’Boyle, and Zachary Schoffstall—will return to duty at their respective local field offices. Empower Oversight, a nonprofit organization that represents the whistleblowers, confirmed that all ten will receive lump-sum payments for damages, while some will also have their full back pay and benefits restored. Friend, who previously served as a special agent in the Daytona, Florida, field office, faced suspension for opposing the use of a SWAT team in the arrest of a January 6 participant on a minor charge.

O’Boyle stated that he experienced punitive action after voicing concerns about the FBI’s investigations into the conservative activist group, Project Veritas, and for his objections to the Bureau’s vaccination policy, which he claimed did not accommodate his religious beliefs. Both Friend and O’Boyle have testified before Congress regarding what they describe as the politicization of the FBI and retaliation against whistleblowers.

Their co-hosting of “The American Radicals Podcast” has also seen them criticize FBI Director Kash Patel, accusing him of being overly focused on public relations. In a notable statement, Friend called for Congress to disarm the FBI, suggesting that a more collaborative approach with local law enforcement could mitigate the Bureau’s perceived overreach.

Friend expressed his relief on social media, posting, “Back to work,” alongside a quote from the Book of Genesis. The settlements, which had been in negotiation since Patel’s confirmation in February 2023, included provisions for four whistleblowers facilitating voluntary retirements, while no resignations were mandated.

Senator Charles Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, commended the efforts of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Patel, and Deputy Daniel Bongino for prioritizing accountability for the whistleblowers. He remarked, “Whistleblowers risk it all for the sake of simply telling the truth. These ten whistleblowers’ brave actions were met with intense bureaucratic blowback that caused severe financial and emotional hardship.”

The FBI’s actions towards these whistleblowers have drawn attention to broader questions regarding the agency’s practices and policies. Meanwhile, another member of the Suspendables, Kyle Seraphin, is not included in the settlements as he is represented by a different organization.

This case underscores ongoing debates surrounding the FBI’s internal culture and its interactions with political and social issues, especially in the context of recent national events.