FBI Whistleblower Regains Security Clearance Following Jan 6. Claims

A former FBI staff operations specialist who had his security clearance suspended over “security concerns” about his “allegiance to the United States” has won a settlement with the bureau, his attorneys said on Tuesday.

Marcus Allen had his security clearance revoked in 2022 when the FBI claimed Allen had withheld “relevant information” related to the Jan 6. defendants. The bureau cited concerns over how his views of the Jan 6. protests were affecting his work, according to a letter the FBI sent Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

Allen was one of three men who accused the FBI of overreach and retaliation in a May 2023 testimony to the House committee investigating the weaponization of the federal government against conservatives.

The FBI wrote in its investigation that Allen had shown “questionable judgment, unreliability, and unwillingness to comply with rules and regulations,” indicating that he could not properly safeguard classified or sensitive information.

In addition to his security clearance reinstatement, Allen was awarded 27 months of back pay and benefits.

Tristan Leavitt, who represented Allen, posted on X that those “who made or parroted false allegations about Mr. Allen should be ashamed of themselves.”

“This is total vindication for Marcus,” Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight, said in a statement. “The FBI has completely backed down and provided everything that we had asked for on behalf of Marcus. It’s clear from the evidence and the FBI’s capitulation there was absolutely no truth to their accusations.”

Jordan, who serves as the House Judiciary Committee chair, released a statement on Tuesday declaring Allen’s reinstatement a “total vindication for a great patriot.”

“Marcus bravely stood up to expose misconduct at the FBI, despite attacks from FBI bureaucrats and congressional Democrats. All Americans owe Marcus a debt of gratitude, and the FBI must also reinstate the security clearances of whistleblowers Garret O’Boyle and Stephen Friend,” Jordan’s statement said.

Allen had also filed a complaint with the Justice Department ‘s Office of the Inspector General saying his suspension was retaliation against a whistleblower. The FBI said the two sides have agreed to resolve the matter without either admitting wrongdoing. Allen formally resigned from the FBI on Monday.