Former FBI official Lisa Page has reached a tentative settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding her allegations of privacy violations due to the release of her text messages with fellow agency official Pete Strzok. These texts were exchanged during the 2016 presidential election cycle and exposed their concerted opposition to Donald Trump’s election.
Page’s lawsuit stemmed from the DOJ‘s public release of her communications with Strzok, with whom she was involved in an extramarital relationship. The text messages became a focal point during political debates and investigations into potential bias within the FBI.
According to a court filing on Tuesday, the tentative agreement will, if approved by the presiding judge, resolve the five-year-old case in which Page sought financial damages of at least $1,000 for alleged FBI privacy violations. Further details on the settlement were not provided. Meanwhile, Strzok, who was dismissed from the FBI, has yet to settle his lawsuit, in which he is seeking back pay and reinstatement to his position.
The release of the text messages has been heavily scrutinized, impacting both Page’s and Strzok’s careers and reputations. The resolution of Page’s case may close one chapter of the protracted legal proceedings related to the 2016 election and the FBI‘s internal conflicts.