The FBI has placed analyst Brian Auten on leave after his name appeared in FBI Director Kash Patel’s book “Government Gangsters” as an alleged “deep state” actor. Auten was also recommended for internal discipline by former FBI Director Christopher Wray for mistakes made during the 2017 investigation into links between Donald Trump and the Russian government, though a Justice Department review found no evidence of political bias. Patel accused Auten of downplaying information found on Hunter Biden’s laptop and called for his prosecution. Patel himself has ties to the investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia and previously worked for Rep. Devin Nunes and the White House National Security Council. The move to place Auten on leave comes amidst the Trump administration’s targeting of FBI officials involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot prosecutions and other investigations. The administration has forced out several senior FBI executives and field office heads, citing their roles in the Jan. 6 prosecutions. In March, the head of the FBI’s New York field office was also forced out after advocating for employees to “dig in” following the earlier firings. Auten’s leave is part of a broader trend of political targeting within the FBI under the Trump administration.
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