The FBI has placed an analyst on leave whose name was on a list of alleged “deep state” actors in a book written by FBI Director Kash Patel, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.
This was first reported by the New York Times. It’s unclear what reason the FBI gave for the move, and the agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brian Auten, a Russia expert, was the employee who was placed on leave. He was also among the FBI employees recommended for internal discipline by former FBI Director Christopher Wray over mistakes made in connection with the 2017 investigation into links between then-candidate Donald Trump and the Russian government.
A later review by the Justice Department inspector general found no evidence that any FBI employee acted out of political bias in the Russia investigation.
Patel included Auten on a list of roughly 60 alleged “deep state“ actors in his 2023 book, “Government Gangsters.” Patel denounced the FBI analyst by name, writing: “The fact that Auten was not fired from the FBI and prosecuted for his part in the Russia Gate conspiracy is a national embarrassment.”
Patel also accused Auten of downplaying information found on the laptop of former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
The FBI director has disputed that the list in his book is an enemies list.
Patel has his own links to the 2017 investigation into ties between President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government.
At the start of Trump’s first term, Patel worked for then-Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., as a staffer on the GOP-led House Intelligence Committee.
In that role, Patel authored a memo accusing the FBI of making mistakes when it obtained a warrant to conduct surveillance of Carter Page, one of Trump’s campaign advisors at the time.
Later in the first Trump administration, Patel served on the White House National Security Council.
The move to place Auten on leave comes after the Trump administration has for months targeted FBI officials who worked on prosecutions of Trump or those who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
In January, the Trump administration forced out six of the agency’s senior executives and several heads of FBI field offices across the country.
A letter sent to those who were fired at the time said that their removal was based on the their role in the Jan. 6 prosecutions.
Later, in March, the Trump administration forced out the head of the FBI’s New York field office after he urged employees to “dig in” in the wake of the January firings.
