DOJ and FBI Civil Rights and FOIA violations

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] Woodbridge, Virginia – Plaintiff Thomas Anthony Speciale II is seeking civil remedies in the form of monetary damages (compensatory, nominal and punitive) and attorneys’ fees, as a result of egregious violations of his 1st, 4th and 5th Amendment Rights as a result of politically motivated federal counterterrorism investigation by the FBI including substantive illegal confidential reports and accusations causing damage to his reputation, lose of employment, legal fees and emotional harm. These actions are direct violations of the U.S. Constitution as well as 42 U.S.C. § 1985 (conspiracy to interfere with civil rights) and 18 U.S.C. § 242 (criminal deprivation of rights under color of law).

Additionally, the FBI and DOJ are in direct violation of the Freedom of Information Act, codified at 5 U.S.C. § 552 and have perpetrated these crimes to conceal unconstitutional criminal activities. 

The below documents provide direct evidence the FBI opened a counterterrorism investigation without predicate into the Plaintiff soon after January 6, 2021 based solely on 1st Amendment protected activities. This investigation was disclosed to US Army CID in June 2021, who issued a Serious Incident Report (SIR) with nothing more than a Twitter post published by foreigner agents showing the Plaintiff conducting 1st Amendment protected activities at a public political rally. This investigation persisted against the Plaintiff until 23 June 2023.

During the course of this investigation the Plaintiff made multiple attempts to cooperate with the FBI and the DOJ. however his efforts were ignored, resulting in reputational damage as well as financial hardships and emotional trauma.

The FBI and DOJ National Security Division have ignored multiple FOIA requests in a deliberate effort to conceal these crimes. Currently, several of these FOIAs, requesting the complete case files known to be possessed by FBI and DOJ regarding the Plaintiff remain open and unanswered.

Defendants, acting under color of federal law, deprived Plaintiff of rights secured by the Fourth Amendment (unreasonable search and seizure), the First Amendment (freedom of speech/association), and the Fifth Amendment (due process). Defendants and co-conspirators agreed and conspired to deprive Plaintiff of the equal protection of the laws to obstruct, hinder, or subvert the due course of justice and of the equal protection of the laws. Defendants, acting under color of federal law, willfully subjected Plaintiff to the deprivation of rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws of the United States, as described above.

Prayer for relief: wherefore, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court:

       Award compensatory, nominal, and punitive damages against defendants;
       Enter a declaratory judgment that defendants’ conduct violated the Constitution and federal law;
       Issue preliminary and permanent injunctions preventing further violations;
       Award attorneys’ fees and costs under 42 U.S.C. § 1988 and other applicable law; and
       Award such other relief as the Court deems just and proper.