The Department of Justice has settled with two former FBI officials over violation of privacy rights.Former counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page filed suit against the Justice Department over the release of their text message conversations expressing contempt for former President Donald Trump.
According to court documents reviewed by the Associated Press, Strzok settled his case for $1.2 million, while Page received $800,000.
In 2019, Strzok argued in a court filing in Washington, D.C., federal district court that his politically charged anti-Trump messages were protected by the First Amendment even though he sent them on bureau-issued phones while playing leading roles in the probes into both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Strzok, once the FBI's head of counterintelligence, said he was entitled to "develop a full factual record through discovery," and that it would be premature to dismiss the case at this early stage. He went on to argue that the DOJ's position would "leave thousands of career federal government employees without protections from discipline over the content of their political speech."
"This outcome is a critical step forward in addressing the government’s unfair and highly politicized treatment of Pete," said lawyer Aitan Goelam, who is representing Strzok.
Goelam continued, "As important as it is for him, it also vindicates the privacy interests of all government employees. We will continue to litigate Pete’s constitutional claims to ensure that, in the future, public servants are protected from adverse employment actions motivated by partisan politics."
Page also filed suit against the FBI and Department of Justice, alleging the government's publication of her salacious text messages with Strzok constituted a breach of the Federal Privacy Act.
"While I have been vindicated by this result, my fervent hope remains that our institutions of justice will never again play politics with the lives of their employees," Page said in a statement.
Page's complaint also sought reimbursement for "the cost of childcare during and transportation to multiple investigative reviews and appearances before Congress," the "cost of paying a data-privacy service to protect her personal information" and attorney's fees.
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