Democrats push back on 2 FBI agents' credibility at House Judiciary hearing

May 18 (UPI) -- At least two FBI agents who had their security clearances revoked for either participating in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, or for their views on the matter have testified before Rep. Jim Jordan's investigation into alleged discrimination and bias in the bureau.

Marcus Allen and Steve Friend, the two FBI agents, testified before House Judiciary Chairman Jordan's panel Thursday as alleged "whistleblowers," according to CNN.

The Republican panel is investigating what it contends is Justice Department bias against conservatives. Republicans have cast the agents testifying Thursday as patriotic whistleblowers; Democrats say they are disgruntled employees.

During the hearing, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., challenged Friend's credibility, according to Salon.

"[You] claim that your top-secret security clearance was improperly revoked," she said.

"Yet an independent investigation concluded that you demonstrated a number of security concerns, which included that you refused to execute a court-ordered arrest warrant, and when you downloaded documents from intelligence systems to an unauthorized removable flash drive."

Wasserman Schultz added that the unauthorized recording of executive management violates Florida law and blasted unauthorized interviews he conducted with Russian state media.

"I think it's clear who is weaponizing government," the Democratic lawmaker added.

Wasserman Schultz and Stacey Plaskett, the congressional delegate for the U.S. Virgin Islands, also grilled Jordan about why Democrats had not been shown parts of their testimony.

"It's my understanding that the minority in this committee under the rules is entitled to the same testimony, information, documents that the majority is entitled to," Wasserman Schultz said.

"So I mean, I'm not aware that you're able to withhold information from the minority."

Jordan replied that Democrats were not entitled to hear the same testimony because it came from so-called "whistleblowers."

"Mr. Chairman, these individuals have been determined not to be whistleblowers," Wasserman Shultz retorted, according to Salon.

"These are not whistleblowers. They've been determined by the agency not to be whistleblowers. Are you deciding that they're whistleblowers?"