Peter Strzok, a former FBI agent, will receive a $1.2 million settlement from the FBI following his lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly violating his privacy rights. Strzok, who was dismissed from the FBI in 2018 after his private text messages criticizing then-presidential candidate Donald Trump were released, claimed the DOJ breached the Privacy Act by making these texts public.
In a statement, Strzok’s attorneys from Zuckerman Spaeder LLP announced the settlement, emphasizing that it resolves claims related to the DOJ’s public release of Strzok’s private texts. However, the settlement does not address Strzok’s claims that his firing violated his First Amendment rights and due process under the Fifth Amendment.
The controversial text messages, exchanged with FBI attorney Lisa Page on a government-issued device, included discussions about an “insurance policy” should Trump win the presidency. These messages led to accusations that Strzok and others were biased against Trump, fueling a special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. The investigation ultimately found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Strzok’s lawsuit argued that his termination was politically motivated and sought damages for the alleged violation of his rights. The settlement specifically pertains to the Privacy Act claim, leaving the other aspects of his lawsuit unresolved.
