OPINION: This article contains commentary which may reflect the author’s opinion
Timothy Thibault is at the center of controversy this week after retiring from his FBI job over allegations that he demonstrated political bias in a number of politically sensitive actions by the FBI against President Donald J. Trump.
On Tuesday when Thibault’s resignation was first reported, US Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IOWA) said that “political bias should have no place at the FBI, and the effort to revive the FBI’s credibility can’t stop with his exit.” The FBI has declined to comment on anything to do with Thibault, saying they do not comment on “personnel matters.”
Thibault is claiming that he is innocent of the allegations he faces, saying that a future probe into Hunter Biden’s laptop will clear his name.
The firm representing Thibault made statements this week that their client did not supervise the Hunter Biden laptop investigation, confirming to numerous media outlets that Thibault voluntarily retired on Friday, August 26th.
It was reported earlier in August that Thibault had been dismissed by US Senator Chuck Grassley and that Christopher Wray had dismissed Thibault from his ‘supervisory position’ after department whistleblowers pegged Thibault and alleged that high-ranking officials allowed political bias to influence their handling of the case into the president Biden son.
Through legal counsel, Thibault claims a probe into whether he has political biases when it comes to the Hunter Biden laptop case will fully exonerate him and prove his actions were not politically motivated, leading some people to speculate that Thibault may have been set up as the fall guy.
The law firm representing Thibault, Morrison & Foerster LLP, notes in a statement that the Office of the Special Counsel is looking into allegations that their client’s social media posts were in violation of the Hatch Act.
“Thibault was one of the 13 assistant special agents assigned to investigate the Hunter laptop saga, he was specifically the Special Agent in Charge of the case.
He was removed from his supervisory role by FBI Director Christopher Wray earlier this month after agency whistleblowers shed light on an alleged pattern of political bias from multiple high-ranking officials,” The Daily Mail reported about Thibault.
President Donald J. Trump posted on his social media account on Truth Social, that the escorted exit is further proof of corruption surrounding Thibault’s handling of the probe into the contents of Hunter’s laptop, suggesting that it was a ‘forced retirement’ situation.
‘People that ‘retire’ from the FBI aren’t perp walked out of the Headquarters Building on a hot, sunny afternoon in August, after being screamed at and ridiculed by his bosses,’ the former president posted to Truth Social on Wednesday morning.
Trump reported, ‘Like the Laptop, this was the FIRING FROM HELL!’
The Daily Mail reported that Thibault’s representation claims, however, that after turning in his security badge, which is standard practice, he walked through the FBI field office with two long-time agent friends and ‘walked out of the building by himself.’
‘Claims to the contrary are false,’ the firm wrote in a statement on behalf of their client.
The firm also claims that he was not forced or asked to retire and was not fired.
Thibault’s representation said he is cooperating with the special counsel probe and will be ‘fully exonerated’ once the review is complete.
‘He firmly believes that any investigation will conclude that his supervision, leadership and decision making were not impacted by political bias or partisanship of any kind,’ Morrison & Foerster LLP said of Thibault.
‘He is confident that all of his decisions were consistent with the FBI’s highest standards for ethics and integrity,’ they added.
‘Mr. Thibault was not involved in any decisions related to any laptop that may be at issue in that investigation, and he did not seek to close the investigation,’ Morrison said.
The case is now being handled by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.
The firm reiterated Thibault was not involved whatsoever in the FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in early August.
Besides the whistleblower complaints, the removal from his supervisor role, and his subsequent retirement, Thibault was also singled out by Senate Judiciary ranking member Chuck Grassley this summer.
“A July 18 letter Senator Grassley sent to Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland implored the pair to act on allegations of political bias influencing agency operations,” The Daily Mail said.
‘As you are aware, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Thibault is not the only politically biased FBI agent at the Washington Field Office,’ Grassley wrote, reminding Wray that ‘the FBI answers to Congress and the American people.’
Thibault’s resignation follows a flurry of damning claims about the FBI and their handling of the Hunter probe.
Republican Senator Ron Johnson sent a letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz last week claiming the bureau deliberately dragged its feet in the investigation and told agents not to look at the laptop.
‘Recently, my office heard from individuals with knowledge of the FBI’s apparent corruption,’ Johnson said.
Source: The Republic Brief