The FBI has ousted at least three senior officials tied to cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
As part of a bureau purge that began Thursday, former FBI acting Director Brian Driscoll; Steve Jensen, acting director in charge of the Washington field office; and Special Agent Walter Giardina were forced out.
One source familiar with the matter told The Washington Times that Mr. Driscoll, who served as acting director before Kash Patel was confirmed for the top post earlier in the year, refused to terminate a subordinate, which ultimately led to his own firing.
Mr. Driscoll announced his termination in an email to FBI employees.
“Last night I was informed that tomorrow will be my last day in the FBI. I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers. No cause has been articulated at this time,” he said.
He told colleagues, “Please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve alongside each of you. Thank you for allowing me to stand on your shoulders throughout it all. Our collective sacrifices for those we serve is, and will always be, worth it. I regret nothing. You are my heroes, and I remain in your debt.”
Mr. Driscoll had come under scrutiny from the administration earlier in the year after refusing pressure to name agents who worked on Jan. 6, 2021, riot cases.
White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro, who was convicted for contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena of the Democrat-controlled Jan. 6 Select Committee and served four months in prison, slammed Mr. Driscoll following the news of his termination.
“This was the son of a bitch that put me in leg irons, perp-walked my fiancée, apparently lied to the Grand Jury to secure my indictment. Karma’s a bitch,” he said on X.
Mr. Giardina was the agent who worked on Mr. Navarro’s case, to which Mr. Navarro responded in a subsequent post by thanking Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley for “outing” Mr. Giardina. He also thanked Mr. Patel for firing him.
“Now Giardina should be investigated along with other corrupt FBI agents who brought shame to the agency,” he said. “Giardina wiped his laptop clean as Hillary’s,” referencing the contents of Mrs. Clinton’s private email server that were erased when she was under federal investigation in 2016.
Mr. Jensen was promoted to lead the Washington Field Office in April, but following his promotion, FBI leadership faced criticism for elevating him, because he was involved in the bureau’s investigations of the Capitol riot.
The Washington Times reached out to the FBI for comment.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.