Former CIA Director John Brennan said he is fighting to protect his reputation after filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to preserve records related to federal investigations into him.

In an exclusive interview Wednesday with MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace, Brennan said he is among hundreds of people being politically targeted by the administration. He explained that he needed to “go on the offensive” with his lawsuit because he believes President Donald Trump is using the U.S. Department of Justice to punish perceived political enemies.

“Today’s lawsuit, I think, sends a clear signal that I’m willing to fight this on behalf of my reputation and what I did, but also on behalf of so many others who are either currently in those cross hairs or will be soon,” Brennan said.

“I told my lawyers, I don’t want to sit on our hands because if he gets away with me, he’s going to continue to do this against others,” he later added.

Brennan pointed to a Reuters tally reporting that at least 470 people, organizations and institutions have been targeted for retribution during Trump’s second term and said his case is part of a broader pattern.

“It’s not just me,” Brennan said, naming Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James among others he said have faced investigations.

Brennan explained he filed the lawsuit to force the government to preserve records related to investigations involving him, including documents held by the Justice Department, the White House and other agencies. He said he fears records could otherwise be deleted before any potential indictment.

Brennan emphasized he has fully complied with subpoenas tied to two grand jury investigations in the Southern District of Florida despite what he described as a lack of evidence of wrongdoing.

He also accused the Justice Department of being “eroded and corroded by the corruption that is clearly taking place,” adding that he believes Trump has targeted him because he fulfilled his duties as CIA director during the 2016 intelligence assessment concluding Russia interfered in the presidential election.

“People have to stand up,” he said. “It’s John Brennan today, but I think it’s going to be many others tomorrow.”

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From MS Now.