Top DOJ official says FBI employees who 'simply followed orders' on Jan 6 investigations won't be fired

Acting FBI Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove assured FBI employees that they will not face consequences if they followed orders an acted ethically in Jan. 6 investigations.

Acting leadership at the FBI is refusing to cooperate with President Donald Trump's administration, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove claimed in a memo. (AP/iStock)

"There is no honor in the ongoing efforts to distort that simple truth or protect culpable actors from scrutiny on these issues, which have politicized the Bureau, harmed its credibility, and distracted the public from the excellent work being done every day. If you have witnessed such behavior, I encourage you to report it through appropriate channels," he added.

Bove's latest memo comes after a group of nine FBI agents filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block the public identification of any FBI employees who worked on the Jan. 6 investigations. 

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The plaintiffs, who filed the lawsuit anonymously in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said that any effort to review or discriminate against FBI employees involved in the Jan. 6 investigations would be "unlawful and retaliatory," and a violation of civil service protections under federal law.

Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll is blocking the release of information on the FBI's investigations into Jan. 6, Bove said. (FBI)

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President Donald Trump declined to answer questions on Monday over whether his administration would remove FBI employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, telling reporters only that he believes the bureau is "corrupt" and that his nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, will "straighten it out."

Fox News' Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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