Former FBI agent Peter Strzok reached a settlement with the Justice Department, including a $1.2 million payout, in a lawsuit over the release of his text messages in 2018. The department violated the Privacy Act by releasing texts between Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page criticizing Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. Both Strzok and Page have finalized their settlements with the Justice Department, with Page’s attorneys stating that they were pleased with the outcome.
The Justice Department did not immediately provide a comment on the settlements. Strzok played a senior role on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team until he was removed due to internal investigations revealing his texts with Page displaying political bias. Page, who briefly served on Mueller’s team, resigned from her FBI role after the messages were discovered. The release of the texts became politicized during Donald Trump’s presidency and were used as fodder against the Russia investigation.
Strzok has other ongoing claims in the lawsuit against the department regarding his termination during the Trump administration. His attorney, Aitan Goelman, stated that the settlement was a critical step in addressing the government’s unfair treatment of Strzok and vindicating the privacy interests of all government employees. Goelman emphasized that they will continue to litigate Strzok’s constitutional claims to ensure public servants are protected from adverse employment actions motivated by partisan politics.
Page’s attorneys did not disclose the amount of her settlement with the Justice Department but expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Page stated that she felt vindicated by the result and expressed hope that institutions of justice would not politicize the lives of their employees in the future. The settlements mark progress in resolving the issues stemming from the release of the controversial text messages and their impact on Strzok and Page’s careers within the FBI.
The settlement allows Strzok to move forward with addressing the government’s actions regarding his termination and protecting the privacy rights of government employees in the future. The release of the texts had significant repercussions on both Strzok and Page’s careers and provided political ammunition for those opposing the Russia investigation. The outcomes of the settlements are seen as crucial steps in rectifying the government’s treatment of Strzok and Page and upholding the rights of public servants to be free from politically motivated employment actions.
