Former FBI agent Pete Strzok, who was fired from the bureau in 2018 after his disparaging text messages about Donald Trump were made public, has reached a settlement with the Justice Department over his claims that his privacy rights were violated, according to his lawyers.
According to Strzok’s lawyers, the U.S. government has agreed to pay Strzok $1.2 million.
In his 2019 lawsuit, Strzok and his lawyers argued that the FBI and DOJ unlawfully disclosed his private text messages disparaging Trump before and after the 2016 presidential election — including the time frame during which Strzok helped lead the agency’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump, who made Strzok a frequent target on social media, argued that Strzok’s political bias tainted the early stages of the Russia investigation.
Deputy Assistant FBI Director Peter Strzok testifies before a joint committee hearing of the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, July 12, 2018.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
When the DOJ’s inspector general uncovered the text messages between Strzok and then-FBI lawyer Lisa Page, Strzok was removed by Robert Mueller from the special counsel’s office to a lower-level human resources position before his eventual firing from the bureau.
“The FBI fired Special Agent Strzok because of his protected political speech in violation of his rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States,” the lawsuit argued.
Former FBI agent Peter Strzok has reached a $1.2 million settlement with the Department of Justice, according to his lawyers. This settlement brings an end to a legal battle that began after Strzok was fired from the FBI in 2018.
Strzok, who was a key figure in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, was removed from the special counsel’s team led by Robert Mueller after it was revealed that he had exchanged text messages critical of then-candidate Donald Trump with FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom he was having an affair.
The Department of Justice cited these text messages as evidence of political bias and misconduct, leading to Strzok’s dismissal from the FBI. Strzok filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the Department of Justice, claiming that his firing was politically motivated and violated his First Amendment rights.
After years of legal battles, Strzok and the Department of Justice have reached a settlement agreement. While the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, Strzok’s lawyers have confirmed that it is worth $1.2 million.
In a statement, Strzok’s lawyers said, “Pete is pleased with the settlement and looks forward to putting this chapter behind him and moving on with his life.” They also emphasized that the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing on Strzok’s part.
The settlement brings closure to a tumultuous period in Strzok’s career, during which he became a lightning rod for criticism from President Trump and his supporters. Despite the controversy surrounding his actions, Strzok has maintained that he acted in accordance with FBI protocols and did not allow his personal beliefs to influence his work.
With this settlement, Peter Strzok can now put this chapter of his life behind him and move forward. It remains to be seen what his next steps will be, but for now, he can rest assured that he has received some measure of justice for the events that led to his dismissal from the FBI.
