The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has suspended an analyst whom Director Kash Patel included on a “deep state” enemies list in one of his books, according to multiple reports.
The agency placed Brian Auten, an expert on Russia, on administrative leave last week but did not divulge the reason for the suspension. Reached for comment, the FBI told the Daily Beast that it does not comment on personnel matters.
In his book, Government Gangsters, Patel placed Auten on a list of 60 officials whom the MAGA loyalist deemed agents of the “deep state.” It also features former FBI Directors James Comey and Christopher Wray.
Auten was included because of his role in two major investigations.
He was one of a number of FBI officials disciplined for mistakes during the agency’s probe into ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia over concerns about election interference. The New York Times reported that Auten was suspended for 30 days after the investigation.
He was also involved in analyzing information on a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden that critics of former President Joe Biden say included evidence of corruption.
In his book, Patel wrote, “The fact that Auten was not fired from the F.B.I. and prosecuted for his part in the Russia Gate conspiracy is a national embarrassment.” He also accused Auten of downplaying the importance of the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop.
The Justice Department’s inspector general found that no FBI officials were motivated by political bias during the Russia investigation.
Patel, who was an adviser to Trump during his first term, was a controversial choice for FBI director, in part due to his history of pushing conspiracy theories.
During his confirmation hearing, he pushed back on the allegation that the list in his book was an “enemies list,” telling senators that that was “a total mischaracterization.”
He also vowed, under oath, that “there will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI, should I be confirmed as FBI director.”
Under Trump and Patel, the FBI has pushed out many of its senior leaders, who oversaw the investigations into Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection and mishandling classified documents, and has now suspended Auten.
The Times reported that Auten was previously moved out of the counterintelligence division after Patel took the agency’s reins.
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