Fired FBI agents sue Patel, Bondi for ‘retribution campaign’: The lawsuit is among a growing list of court challenges facing the FBI and Justice Department for its personnel purge since Donald Trump retook office.

Snippet: * The suit, which seeks class action certification and was filed in federal court in Washington, names FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, along with the FBI and Justice Department, as defendants. The agents argue their First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated based on actual or perceived political affiliation and a lack of due process. * *The suit seeks for all similarly situated agents to be reinstated.* * Michelle Ball, Jamie Garman and Blaire Toleman were fired without notice last October and November despite years of “exemplary and unblemished” service, according to court filings. The three had been involved in an investigation that culminated in a 2023 indictment of Trump from special counsel Jack Smith. * That indictment alleged Trump had schemed to overturn the results of the 2020 election and also mishandled classified documents. The case was ultimately abandoned after Trump was reelected in 2024. >*In their termination letters, signed by Patel, the former agents allege they were “baselessly accused” of “weaponizing” their positions within the government. The lawsuit accuses Patel and Bondi of attempting to publicly disparage and defame the agents.*