The FBI has provided the Justice Department with names of employees involved in January 6-related cases following a demand from the acting deputy attorney general. This move concludes a week of negotiations between the FBI, who aimed to safeguard agent and staff identities, and the Justice Department. The names were shared through a classified system to prevent public identification, as confirmed by acting Director Brian Driscoll in an email to employees. Driscoll emphasized that there is currently no indication that the Justice Department intends to make these lists public and assured employees of ongoing communication regarding any changes in the department’s plans.

This development came after the FBI initially withheld employee names and shared information based solely on ID numbers earlier in the week. Discussions between FBI and Justice Department leadership focused on safeguarding information gathered during reviews of January 6-related investigations, including the inquiry into former President Donald Trump. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove clarified that the information gathering was not intended to target agents, but rather those who acted with corrupt or partisan intent.

Despite concerns raised by FBI employees and their union about safety risks if their identities were exposed, the Justice Department defended its handling of the situation in a court hearing. Although the department acknowledged the potential for unofficial access to the lists by other government officials, it maintained that there had been no official disclosure outside the department. The ongoing dialogue between the FBI and the Justice Department underscores the complexities involved in balancing transparency with employee safety in high-profile investigations.