Day: October 8, 2025

FBI Director Kash Patel: “We fired those who acted unethically, dismantled the corrupt CR-15 squad, and launched an investigation.”
The CR-15 squad was the Washington Field Office’s  #PublicCorruption unit. On October 7, 2025,  #FBI Director  #KashPatel announced that the bureau had fired employees who acted unethically, dismantled the CR-15 squad, and launched an investigation.
This announcement followed the revelation that the CR-15 squad had tracked the communications of Republican lawmakers as part of former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Details of Patel’s announcement
The agents fired: Patel announced the termination of employees involved in what he called the “baseless monitoring of members of Congress”. He posted on X, “We fired those who acted unethically, dismantled the corrupt CR-15 squad, and launched an investigation”.
The CR-15 squad: The public corruption unit within the FBI’s Washington Field Office was abolished. This squad had assisted former Special Counsel Jack Smith in his investigation.
The alleged surveillance: Revelations emerged that the squad allegedly tracked the phone call data—including time, duration, and numbers called—of multiple Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham, Marsha Blackburn, and Josh Hawley.
Patel’s justification: In his announcement, Patel stated the firings were part of fulfilling his promise of transparency and accountability. In another post, he wrote that the bureau “discovered and exposed the weaponization of law enforcement”.
Background on Patel and the FBI
Confirmation: Kash Patel was confirmed as the Director of the FBI in February 2025. His confirmation was contentious, with Democratic senators questioning his history of criticizing the bureau and his independence from former President Donald Trump.
Broader changes: Since taking office, Patel has enacted several changes at the FBI, including reassigning a number of employees from Washington, D.C., to field offices nationwide.
Context of the Jack Smith investigation
Trump indictment and dismissal: The investigation that the CR-15 squad assisted on led to an indictment against Donald Trump in 2023. However, the charges were dropped after Trump won the 2024 presidential election, following a Supreme Court ruling that gave him immunity for official actions as president.

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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 8, 2025