Washington, D.C. — Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, is demanding answers from the Justice Department over settlement payments made to suspended FBI agents, arguing the Trump administration may be improperly rewarding political allies with taxpayer money.
In a letter sent Tuesday to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Raskin cited several settlements involving FBI agents who had faced disciplinary action over alleged misconduct, including one agent accused of being in a restricted area during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and another disciplined after refusing to investigate a white nationalist group.
According to Raskin, at least five agents received settlements totaling more than $230,000, with some also receiving significant backpay. He argued that several cases had not yet completed internal FBI appeals or court proceedings before settlements were reached.
Tristan Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight and attorney for many of the agents, rejected Raskin’s criticism. Leavitt said the payments were lawful settlements involving whistleblower claims against the FBI and accused Raskin of mischaracterizing the cases for political purposes.
The dispute comes amid broader controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s handling of federal law enforcement personnel and legal settlements involving Trump allies. The Justice Department has also approved large payouts in recent months to figures including former Trump adviser Carter Page and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department immediately commented on Raskin’s allegations.
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