Patel Tells HPSCI Fired FBI Agents Violated Ethics Rules; Declines to Specify Which Rules

FBI Director Patel defended the firing of a dozen CI-12 counterintelligence agents by claiming they violated unspecified ethics rules, declining to elaborate due to pending litigation. The fired agents included Iran specialists from the unit that tracks foreign espionage on U.S. soil. Members from both parties pressed Patel on the timing—days before Operation Midnight Hammer launched strikes against Iran.