Reports indicate that the Justice Department has terminated at least three prosecutors involved in the U.S. Capitol riot criminal cases. This move is part of a larger pattern of the Trump administration targeting attorneys connected to the January 6, 2021, attack, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The individuals dismissed include two supervisors who oversaw the prosecutions related to the Capitol siege in the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, as well as a line attorney who handled cases stemming from the attack on the Capitol.
One of the prosecutors reportedly received a letter signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, stating their immediate removal without providing a specific reason, citing only “Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States.”
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to provide any information on the matter.
These terminations are seen as part of a broader trend of unconventional actions by the Trump administration, disregarding civil service protections for career lawyers and undermining the independence of the Justice Department from the White House.
Concerns have been raised regarding potential repercussions against attorneys involved in the extensive prosecution of over 1,500 individuals who participated in the Capitol riot, especially following Trump’s pardons of many of the rioters.
In February, during his tenure as interim U.S. attorney in Washington, Ed Martin demoted several prosecutors involved in the January 6 cases, including those who secured convictions in seditious conspiracy cases.
Earlier, in January, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the firing of approximately two dozen prosecutors who had initially been hired for temporary roles to support the Jan. 6 cases but were later moved into permanent positions after Trump’s election win.
