A federal judge in Washington yesterday denied the FBI's highest-ranking Arab American agent's motion for a new trial on claims the bureau retaliated against him for reporting alleged discrimination.
The plaintiff, Bassem Youssef, a supervisory agent and unit chief in the agency’s counterterrorism division, complained the bureau discriminated against him on the basis of his national origin and retaliated against him for reporting alleged discriminatory actions to a member of Congress and to the FBI director. Click here for more background on the case.
At trial in September in Washington’s federal district court, Youssef’s lawyers, including Stephen Kohn of the whistleblower shop Kohn, Kohn & Colaptino, argued the FBI blocked Youssef’s career advancement, including delaying for two years his completion of training opportunities necessary for so-called “inspection certification.” That certification helps agents in future promotion efforts.
Justice Department lawyers representing the bureau said at trial, according to court papers, that FBI officials denied Youssef permission to participate in training activities because he had already missed too much work since his transfer into a new unit.
In her ruling Wednesday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said “there was substantial evidence in the record at trial suggesting Youssef was not actually harmed” by the denial of his requests to go on inspections in January and February 2005. The judge’s ruling is here.
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