Former FBI agent Peter Strzok has reached a settlement with the Justice Department, resulting in a $1.2 million payout in a lawsuit related to the release of his text messages in 2018. The settlement also includes former FBI attorney Lisa Page, whose settlement amount was not disclosed.
The lawsuit alleged that the Justice Department violated the Privacy Act by releasing texts exchanged between Strzok and Page that criticized Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. Both parties have now finalized their settlements with the department.
Strzok, who played a senior role on special counsel Robert Mueller's team, was removed after his texts with Page were revealed, indicating potential political bias. Page, who also briefly served on Mueller's team, resigned from her FBI position following the discovery of the messages.
The release of these texts became a point of contention during Donald Trump's presidency, with the former president using them to criticize the Russia investigation.
Strzok still has ongoing claims in the lawsuit against the department related to his termination during the Trump administration. His attorney, Aitan Goelman, expressed satisfaction with the settlement, calling it a critical step forward in addressing the government's treatment of his client.
Goelman emphasized the importance of protecting the privacy interests of government employees and stated that they would continue to litigate Strzok's constitutional claims to prevent adverse employment actions driven by partisan politics in the future.
