Judge Dismisses Strzok's First and Fifth Amendment Suit

A federal judge, Amy Berman Jackson, dismissed former FBI agent Peter Strzok’s lawsuit challenging his 2018 firing under the First and Fifth Amendments, finding he had not produced sufficient evidence that his constitutional rights were violated; the full opinion is under seal while the court released a summary. The suit arose after the release of politically charged text messages between Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page — including exchanges suggesting they might “stop” Trump — which then‑President Trump used to attack the Russia probe, though an inspector general found no evidence that bias affected the investigation. Jackson said she was not deciding whether the firing was an appropriate sanction and rejected Strzok’s claim that he had a binding deal for a lesser punishment later voided by then‑Deputy Director David Bowdich. The litigation involved extensive discovery, including a deposition of Donald Trump, followed earlier privacy‑settlement payments of $1.2 million to Strzok and $800,000 to Page, and leaves Strzok able to appeal to the D.C. Circuit.