‘Bloodletting’ at FBI
...even before Bondi or Patel take helm
“This past Friday, eight of our senior leaders have retired.”
That began an internal memo issued by Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll. The officials were reportedly told to retire, or prepare to be demoted or fired.
It’s part of what one insider refers to as a “bloodletting,” and is part of an historic shakeup in the scandal-plagued intelligence agency.
And it began even before Pam Bondi was confirmed to lead the Dept. of Justice as Attorney General today, and before a vote on Kash Patel to be the new FBI Director (which may come next week).
The senior retiring officials named in the memo are:
Tim Dunham, executive assistant director of the Human Resources Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, named by then-Director Christopher Wray on June 26, 2023.
Bobby Wells, assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, named by Wray on Aug. 22, 2022 after serving as the special agent in charge of the Charlotte Field Office, North Carolina.
Mike Nordwall, executive assistant director of the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, named by Wray on July 19, 2024 after serving as assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division.
Jacqueline Maguire, executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch, named by Wray on Oct. 24, 2024.
Arlene Gaylord, executive assistant director of the Information and Technology Branch, named by Wray in August 2023.
Ryan Young, executive assistant director of the Intelligence Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, named by Wray on Dec. 10, 2021 after serving as the assistant director of the Directorate of Intelligence.
Dave Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, named by Wray on Dec. 29, 2022.
Jeffrey Veltri, head of the FBI's Miami field office, named by Wray on March 27, 2023 after serving as section chief in the Security Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Driscoll commended each agent in his memo for their “dedicated service” and wrote that “Each of these employees represents the highest caliber of public service, and this country is undoubtedly safer because of their work.”
According to the Washington Times, “at least 20 FBI executive assistant directors, assistant directors and special agents in charge from throughout the U.S. were forced out of the agency on Thursday…squads of FBI agents were walked out from field offices located in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Agents who were walked out of the Miami office were involved in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.”
Read on for details.
A Reckoning
The heavy-handed FBI raid at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home on Aug. 8, 2022, as Trump was engaged in a dispute over what presidential records he was entitled to possess, is just one of many controversies that has plagued the FBI in the past decade related to the agency’s political targeting of Trump.
On Aug. 19, 2019, the Inspector General (IG) announced former FBI Director James Comey mishandled sensitive and classified documents in his campaign to undermine Trump in the press. The IG referred Comey to the Dept. of Justice (DOJ), but the DOJ declined to prosecute.
On Aug. 19, 2020, FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty to doctoring a document to justify a secret wiretap against Trump campaign associate Carter Page. Under FBI rules, the wiretap would have enabled the FBI to access Trump’s communications since Page communicated with people who communicated with Trump. It was all part of an effort to frame Trump for Russia collusion in the FBI’s ill-fated “Operation Crossfire.” Nobody else who knew about or was involved in document fraud was named or charged.
FBI Director Wray repeatedly gave false information in testimony to Congress, claiming there were no “Section 702” surveillance abuses, when there are many in the public record.
Regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump demonstrations and riots, the FBI had plainclothes agents and sources embedded in the crowd. As I reported in a two-part investigation on my television program “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson,” questions have been raised about the role of instigators seen on video dressed as Trump supporters, but who appeared on the scene from behind police lines, sometimes with escorts, and were allowed to blend with the crowd, take the lead, and then break through the police lines.
January 6
The prosecutions of the January 6 events are yet another controversy.
The DOJ engaged in the largest prosecutorial effort in US history, charging more than 1,500 protesters who were on the US Capitol grounds that day. Some of them who committed no more than peaceful, misdemeanor trespassing were later greeted by a small army of heavily armed FBI SWAT members at their homes where the demonstrators and family members were removed at gunpoint.
FBI Special Agent Stephen Friend says he was retaliated against after he refused to take part in such raids on nonviolent January 6 suspects.
Last week, the FBI set about gathering a list of all personnel involved in the mass prosecutions as part of “a review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.” The information was due today.
A bureau-wide memo sent by Driscoll indicated the list would include “thousands of employees across the country.”
FBI employees were also asked to fill out a survey detailing their specific involvement in the January cases.
Until now, insiders say, January 6 prosecutions were considered a “feather in the cap” for FBI agents involved because the cases were a top priority in Washington, DC. Additionally, “headquarters” was said to spread the cases out across the nation, in order to bring prosecutions in as many different states possible, so they could elevate domestic terrorism statistics.
President Trump has consistently criticized the Dept. of Justice and FBI for “weaponizing” the agencies against him and other perceived political enemies.
Critics say the FBI firings amount to unjust punishment of seasoned professionals. They say that if hundreds of agents are purged from the agency, it will weaken national security.
If 5,000 agents were involved in an investigation for 3 years and that investigation is over, doesn't that mean those agents are no longer needed?
Word on X is 5,000 agents were involved in J6 investigations! One-third of all agents. Insane! What a rogue agency bent on a political mission to hunt down peaceful protesters.