Trump pushed FBI to investigate anti-ICE demonstrators in LA, whistleblower claims
‘Using the FBI to target Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights directly undermines our nation’s foundational values,’ Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California says
President Donald Trump allegedly ordered an investigation of activists in Los Angeles after watching a video of protesters using megaphones to warn people about immigration enforcement activities, according to a report Tuesday.
The accusations stem from a whistleblower complaint by a former FBI supervisor who said the directives made early last year violated bureau policies and the demonstrators' First Amendment rights to free speech and to assemble peaceably, NBC News said.
Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California, who on Monday sent the whistleblower complaint to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, said on social media that “FBI analysts found no evidence these protesters committed a crime or posed a threat.”
“These allegations are deeply alarming: Using the FBI to target Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights directly undermines our nation’s foundational values,” Padilla wrote Tuesday.
“These allegations are FALSE. The First Amendment does not protect violent rioting, obstructing law enforcement, and assaulting law enforcement,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. “This administration has been clear: anyone who assaults or obstructs law enforcement will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
In a joint statement, the Justice Department and FBI said, “The DOJ and FBI have a responsibility to investigate any potential violations of federal law, and conspiracies to impede federal law enforcement and assaults on federal officers are against the law.”
Last year, another whistleblower complaint accused Bove of having told Justice Department subordinates that they might have to ignore court orders to carry out Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Bove denied that allegation during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee before the Senate confirmed his nomination by Trump in a 50-49 vote.
The latest whistleblower complaint was made by Jill Fields, a former supervisory intelligence analyst in the FBI’s LA field office, who reportedly says she was told an investigation into the protesters would be opened because “the president wants this.”
She reportedly refused to participate in the probe and was excluded from meetings where directives were allegedly given face-to-face to avoid having anything put in writing.
Fields resigned after learning she would no longer oversee three FBI programs, a move she alleges was retaliatory and “signaled to other employees that raising constitutional or legal concerns could carry professional consequences.”
Hundreds of FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors have resigned or been fired since Trump returned to the White House last year, including many who were involved in investigating him or the January 6 rioters who tried to prevent Congress from certifying Trump's 2020 electoral loss to Joe Biden.