A former employee of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday, claiming he was wrongfully fired last month for displaying a rainbow flag on his desk in support of the LGBT+ community. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
- A former FBI employee has filed a lawsuit in federal court.
- David Maltinsky was released shortly before the end of training.
- The dismissal is related to the display of the rainbow flag on the work desk.
- The FBI says the flag is a political symbol and is inappropriate.
- Maltinsky asks the court to readmit and protect freedoms.
Maltinski was released just before the end of the demanding training
David Maltinsky, a longtime FBI employee and an openly gay man, was fired just before completing his grueling special agent training, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington.
Maltinsky said a letter from FBI Director Kash Patel informing him of his firing said he “demonstrated poor judgment by inappropriately displaying a political symbol in his work area.”
The problem is the rainbow flag
“In short, Patel fired Maltinsky for displaying a rainbow flag on his desk,” the lawsuit states. The flag had previously flown on the FBI building in Los Angeles, she said, and Maltinsky had received it from his superiors as an award for his “efforts to improve the FBI.”
The lawsuit accuses the FBI director and US Attorney General Pam Bondi of violating his right to free speech and seeks his reinstatement.
Firing agents disloyal to Trump
AFP reminds that since taking office, President Donald Trump has repeatedly opposed DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives, including in federal bodies.
Patel was also accused of firing dozens of FBI agents he perceived as disloyal to Trump, as well as firing others who had previously worked on criminal cases against the president, AFP adds.
