Peter Strzok sues for reinstatement after his anti-Trump texts got him fired from the FBI

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last updated 6 August 2019

Former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok wants his job back.

Strzok was a part of the FBI's probe into Russian election interference, but was transferred from the investigation and eventually fired after texts revealing his opposition to President Trump surfaced. But on Tuesday, Strzok filed a lawsuit alleging that he was "unlawfully" terminated and called for his reinstatement and back pay, The Washington Post reports.

Last year, the FBI's inspector general unearthed texts between Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page in which he pledged to "stop" Trump from being elected. Republicans later grilled Strozk in an incredibly heated House hearing in which Strozk said his political leanings didn't influence his work. He was fired days later, and yet, nearly a year later, was brought up by Republicans in former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's July testimony.

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Since then, Strzok alleges in his lawsuit that he's been part of a "campaign to publicly vilify" him, which "contributed to the FBI’s ultimate decision to unlawfully terminate him." He also cites "frequent incidents of public and online harassment and threats of violence to Strzok and his family." The lawsuit names Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Chris Wray as defendants, but they have not yet returned Politico's request for comment.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.

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