In a shocking statement, an FBI whistleblower has warned agents not to come forward with allegations of wrongdoing, saying that their lives could be destroyed if they do so.
At a hearing of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, FBI agent Garret O’Boyle testified to the devastating effect that coming forward with allegations of misconduct within the bureau can have.
.@RepMikeJohnson: "I am grateful to you men for your willingness to stand forward and take the arrows as you have, even from members of Congress over here…trying to disparage you. It's disgusting!"
The gallery erupts into applause pic.twitter.com/SifwwDrlqb
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 18, 2023
“I would tell them first to pray about it, long and hard,” O’Boyle said in response to a question about how he would advise a fellow agent who might want to disclose wrongdoing. “And I would tell them I could take it to Congress for them, or I could put them in touch with Congress. But I would advise them not to do it.”
O’Boyle, who has alleged that the FBI improperly inflated case metrics and targeted anti–abortion groups, said that the bureau had suspended him indefinitely, leaving him and his family temporarily homeless. The FBI also held his personal belongings and refused to release them as he and his family moved from Kansas to Virginia.
“The FBI will crush you. This government will crush you, and your family, if you try to expose the truth about things that they are doing that are wrong,” O’Boyle added.
Republican North Dakota Rep. Kelly Armstrong pressed O’Boyle on the issue, asking how his advice to not come forward with allegations of misconduct within the bureau could help to bring to light any wrongdoing.
“It doesn’t solve it. But the FBI will crush you,” O’Boyle replied.
The whistleblower’s warning comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked the FBI and other intelligence agencies for alleged bias against him and his administration. The president’s attacks have been widely condemned by members of both parties, with many pointing out that the FBI is a non–partisan agency.
O’Boyle’s testimony today is sure to add to the controversy surrounding the president’s attacks on the FBI, and his comments could be seen as a warning to agents not to come forward with allegations of misconduct.
It remains to be seen if any other agents will come forward with allegations of misconduct within the bureau, but O’Boyle’s testimony certainly serves as a cautionary tale.
