CIA LAWSUIT SUPPORTED BY FEDS FOR FREEDOM
- Feds Freedom
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2026
FEDS FOR FREEDOM SUPPORTS LAWSUIT AGAINST CIA FOR ILLEGALLY INVESTIGATING UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES FOR ESPIONAGE
Washington, D.C. – Feds For Freedom announced today that they are supporting a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Several CIA officers and contractors are filing a class action lawsuit after learning that the CIA investigated thousands of employees and contractors for espionage via their Counter Espionage Department (CED). The impetus for the investigations into these CIA employees was solely based on their decision to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The lawsuit contends that, in addition to being arbitrary and capricious, both the order to investigate and the actual investigations were a clear abuse of power and violated U.S. law.
Before the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, CED investigations were initiated in response to allegations of espionage. These investigations differ significantly from matters involving employee compliance with orders or directives. A CED investigation is permanently retained in an employee’s security file and remains with them throughout their career, even if they move to other agencies or departments. This record also makes it easier to initiate future investigations, as the employee now has a documented history of “problems.”
The list that contains the names of thousands of CIA employees and contractors, identifying them as suspected spies due to their vaccination status, remains today.
On March 2, 2026, while serving as a CIA employee, Feds For Freedom co-founder James Erdman formally requested that all investigatory material and permanent notations be removed from the files of the thousands affected, including the plaintiffs. Mr. Erdman pursued multiple administrative means—including notifying the Office of the Director of the CIA—to resolve the issue internally. Despite this, the CIA took no action to address the unlawful overreach into their personal medical decisions.
The lawsuit was filed on June 30, 2026.
“Any claim that the CIA was simply ‘protecting the health of employees’ by ordering Counter Espionage Department investigations into unvaccinated officers collapses under its own absurdity. Whether or not someone gets vaccinated is a personal medical decision, not an indication they are a spy. The investigations were never about health—they were a blatant abuse of power dressed up as policy,” remarked Kevin McAfee, president of Feds For Freedom.
“Federal employees serving at the highest levels of our national security apparatus should never face counterespionage investigations simply for exercising a personal medical choice,” said Olivia Degenkolb, vice president, Feds For Freedom. “These officers were targeted solely for their vaccination status. That is unacceptable. We are seeking justice in federal court to protect their rights and ensure our government upholds the rule of law.”
“When a government agency uses national security tools to punish the personal medical choices of their employees, it is agency leadership — not the employee — who has crossed the line. We maintain that the lack of government accountability remains one of the greatest threats to a strong and intact America. It’s time that the CIA follow the laws of this country and is held accountable,” stated Stephanie Weidle, executive director, Feds For Freedom.
The officers, who are Feds For Freedom members and supporters, are taking this action to challenge what they describe as unlawful activities and retaliation based on their personal medical decisions.
About Feds For Freedom
Feds For Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to preventing government overreach, safeguarding bodily autonomy, and holding bad actors in government accountable. Originally called Feds For Medical Freedom, Feds For Freedom has led legal challenges to defend the constitutional rights of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and contractors since its founding in 2021.
Learn more at www.fedsforfreedom.org
Contact:
Stephanie Weidle
703-678-3748