Former FBI agents sue Patel and Bondi over firings tied to Trump election probe

Dismissed agents seek reinstatement, alleging constitutional violations in lawsuit

PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO

Three former FBI agents filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging unlawful termination (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Three former FBI agents who worked on the investigation into President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election have filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing them of unlawful termination.

The suit, filed on Tuesday, March 31, in federal court in Washington, DC, claims the dismissals violated the agents’ constitutional protections under the First and Fifth Amendments.

New Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel speaks after he was sworn in during a ceremony in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on February 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Patel was confirmed by the Senate 51-49, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) the only Republicans voting to oppose him. Patel has been a hard-line critic of the FBI, the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — New Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel speaks after he was sworn in during a ceremony in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on February 21, 2025, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Plaintiffs cite ‘exemplary’ service records

The plaintiffs, Jamie Garman, Blaire Toleman and Michelle Ball, argue in their 48-page complaint that they had distinguished careers at the Federal Bureau of Investigation before their abrupt dismissal last fall.

They were terminated without notice of charges or explanation, according to the filing, despite what the lawsuit describes as years of “exemplary” service.

The complaint opens by asserting that the agents “faithfully served our country, doing the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons,” echoing a phrase associated with former FBI Director Christopher Wray.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 11: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi is expected to face questions on her department’s handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump’s investigations into political foes and the handing of the two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) — US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026, in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Demand for reinstatement and protections

The former agents are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, asking the court to order their immediate reinstatement and prevent the bureau from taking any further adverse action against them.

Neither the Department of Justice nor the FBI has commented on the case, citing policy against discussing ongoing litigation. The case is the latest in a series of legal challenges brought by former FBI personnel connected to the Trump-related investigations.

Earlier this month, two unnamed agents filed a similar lawsuit alleging they were fired solely because of their involvement in the probe, which was later overseen by former special counsel Jack Smith beginning in 2022.