The following is from the GOP House Judiciary Committee:
New whistleblower information reveals that FBI officials are pressuring agents to reclassify cases as “domestic violent extremism” (DVE) despite lacking the criteria to meet such a classification. Whistleblower disclosures have also detailed the agency’s effort to exaggerate DVE data to satisfy the Bureau’s leadership.
One whistleblower explained that because agents are not finding enough DVE cases, they are encouraged and incentivized to change designations even though there is minimal, circumstantial evidence to support the reclassification.
Another whistleblower—with experience in high profile domestic terrorism investigations—stated that a field office Counterterrorism Assistant Special Agent in Charge and the FBI’s Director of the Counterterrorism Division have forced agents to recategorize cases as DVE to hit performance metrics manufactured by the Bureau itself.
According to whistleblowers, the FBI uses these metrics to dispense awards and determine promotions. Every whistleblower has called it an environment of “pressure” within the FBI.
These whistleblower disclosures come as the Biden Administration pushes a narrative that domestic violent extremism is the “greatest threat” facing the United States.
Read the letter to FBI Director Wray here.
