The surprise Aug. 21 announcement by FBI Director Kash Patel of a settlement with 10 whistleblowers came before at least some of them had agreed to anything, but ultimately it could indicate that the bureau is ready to make restitution for punishing employees who legally disclosed malfeasance, sources told Blaze News.
Patel’s announcement made on X before noon Eastern on Aug. 21 was greeted with cheers, elation, and relief on the social media platform.
‘The next step is for the whistleblowers and their lawyers to carefully review and sign the agreements.’
“Breaking: agreements have been reached with 10 FBI Whistleblowers (and counsel) to include a combination of backpay, security clearance, and reinstatement,” Patel wrote in a post viewed more than 1.3 million times.
The key whistleblowers who suffered some of the worst treatment by the FBI under President Joe Biden knew little to nothing about it when Patel announced that deals were in place.
“No one has reached a deal,” Kyle Seraphin, former FBI special agent and now a podcast host, wrote Friday on X. In an earlier post, Seraphin wrote, “No deals have been reached, no offers put in writing, no agreements have been signed.”
Several administration and congressional sources told Blaze News that was the situation on Thursday when Patel made his announcement, but there is reason for hope in the more than 24 hours since.
Clare Slattery, a spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), echoed Patel’s announcement that the FBI would “provide varying forms of compensation” to the whistleblowers.
“Indeed, Senator Grassley has been in direct contact with the DOJ and FBI for months advocating for these whistleblowers and assisting in negotiations,” Slattery said Aug. 21. “In light of the director’s announcement today, the next step is for the whistleblowers and their lawyers to carefully review and sign the agreements.”
Patel did not name any of the 10 whistleblowers or detail the terms of the agreements.
All 10 whistleblowers are represented by Virginia-based Empower Oversight, including former FBI Special Agent Steve Friend and long-suspended FBI Special Agent Garret O’Boyle. Tristan Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight, said Friday he could not comment on Patel’s announcement.
What’s at stake includes years of back salary and benefits such as retirement plans, health insurance and vacation, restoration of security clearances, and potential reinstatement to FBI employment.
It’s not clear whether settlements would include compensation for loss of reputation, wrongfully denied health benefits, or, as in O’Boyle’s case, the FBI refusal to pay previously agreed-upon moving expenses.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently reached a settlement with an FBI whistleblower who exposed the FBI for weaponizing the security-clearance process against supporters of President Donald J. Trump, those who opposed COVID-19 shots, and employees who expressed intent to attend Jan. 6 protests at the U.S. Capitol.
“The FBI security clearance process was completely secret, with generally no oversight from the inspector general or Congress. That’s an environment ripe for abuse and easily taken advantage of,” Leavitt said in a statement on Aug. 1.
Steve Baker contributed to this report.
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