CREW requests records on DEA agent Mark Ibrahim, charged in Capitol insurrection

On July 20, 2021, former Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Mark Ibrahim became the first federal law enforcement officer to be charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Ibrahim reportedly flashed his DEA badge and government issued gun for pictures and climbed on top of the Peace Monument to deliver a self-recorded “monologue.” As calls for fuller accountability for the events of January 6th continue to grow, interest has increased in Ibrahim’s communications leading up to the insurrection, as they might provide crucial information around how the events of January 6th transpired.

CREW has requested all of Ibrahim’s DEA communications related to former president Donald Trump or the 2020 presidential election, including keywords such as “Make America Great Again,” “stop the steal,” or “election fraud.”

Communications from Ibrahim, who sent pictures of him illegally bringing a government-issued weapon into the Capitol to a WhatsApp chat with other DEA officers, might reveal new details about events leading up to and during the insurrection. Previously, CREW has already published several investigations that revealed turmoil within law enforcement agencies around preparations for January 6th rallies and failures to take seriously the possibility of violence. Communications from an off-duty agent who participated in the insurrection could help lead to further answers and accountability for the insurrection.

Header photo was included in an FBI affidavit.