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Former FBI official Peter Strzok reaches $1.2 million settlement with Justice Dept over Trump-related texts
Former FBI special agent Peter Strzok reached a $1.2 million settlement with the Justice Department over claims that the department violated his privacy and the Privacy Act when it released text messages between him and former FBI employee Lisa Page that criticized former President Donald Trump.
One of Strzok’s lawyers, Aitan D. Goelman, of Zuckerman Spaeder, said in a statement that it was a “critical step forward in addressing the government’s unfair and highly politicized treatment of Pete,” and said the settlement “also vindicates the privacy interests of all government employees.”
Former FBI special agent Peter Strzok is suing the FBI and Justice Department, claiming his firing in 2018 violated his rights to due process and free speech and was only carried out because of political pressure.
The settlement resolves his privacy allegations, but the claims of unlawful termination are still being litigated. For that claim, he is seeking back pay and other payment for his employment.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Strzok worked on then-special counsel Robert Mueller’s team for a time and became a frequent target of President Trump after he wrote text messages criticizing Trump while he was a presidential candidate. Strzok, who filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is trying to get his job with the FBI back.
Strzok was removed from the Mueller probe after the messages were discovered and moved to a different office still within the FBI. His actions were scrutinized in a June 2018 Justice Department Inspector General report, and was escorted from the building later that summer.
He also worked on the Hillary Clinton email investigation and on special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian election meddling and any ties to Trump associates.
Strzok testified before Congress in 2018 that he was “deeply regretful” of sending the anti-Trump texts to Page, but said he had done so with the expectation of privacy.
“I had no idea that this was going to happen,” he said at the time.
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A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.