Empower Oversight says eight remaining FBI whistleblower settlements have been finalized

Whistleblower nonprofit Empower Oversight on Tuesday announced that all outstanding FBI whistleblower settlements have been finalized with the Department of Justice (DOJ), completing the 10 settlements announced last week. 

FBI Director Kash Patel announced that his agency was settling 10 whistleblower cases that were sparked under the Biden administration. The whistleblowers claimed that they were discriminated against for their political beliefs, including by suspending or revoking their security clearances. 

Multiple whistleblowers also claimed they were placed on indefinite suspension when they did not even receive pay after they accused the bureau of political bias, including over its handling of Jan. 6 investigations. Patel said the settlements included back pay, security clearance and reinstatement.

Empower Oversight Founder Jason Foster praised Patel's commitment to getting justice for the whistleblowers in a statement on X, stating the director has long supported the whistleblowers.

"Patel supported these whistleblowers long ago, before anyone knew he might be Director one day," Foster said. "He took heat for it. So did they. It was weaponized to try to stop his confirmation. That didn't work.

"With [last week's post] he announced the end of permanent Washington's resistance to getting this done," he continued. "Broad agreements in principle became actual deals with ink from both sides on the final few cases in the following days. On behalf of our clients and everyone at [Empower], thank you [Kash Patel]." 

The nonprofit said a settlement with whistleblower Marcus Allen was reached under the Biden administration, but he did not receive back-pay until earlier this year. Another settlement was finalized on Aug. 1, and the remaining eight settlements were finalized in the past two weeks. 

“For each of these cases where whistleblowers finally received at least some measure of justice for the retaliation they faced just for telling the truth about wrongdoing, there are many more who still need a remedy," Foster and Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt wrote in a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley. "The work to combat weaponization and whistleblower retaliation is far from over."

The nonprofit said the settlements depended on the accusation but that none of them required resignations, though four helped facilitate retirement. All the settlements included some form of monetary compensation and four required full restoration of back pay and benefits.

Three of the settlements required the FBI to return the employees to duty.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.