Justice Department abruptly fires 3 prosecutors involved in Jan. 6 criminal cases

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"Justice Department Dismisses Prosecutors Involved in January 6 Riot Cases"

Justice Department abruptly fires 3 prosecutors involved in Jan. 6 criminal cases analysis cover image CNN 6.6
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Original Article Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/28/politics/justice-department-doj-fires-jan-6-prosecutors-pam-bondi
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TruthLens AI Summary

On Friday, the Justice Department dismissed at least three prosecutors who were involved in the criminal cases stemming from the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. This decision reflects ongoing actions by the Trump administration aimed at targeting attorneys linked to the prosecution of the Capitol attack. Among those terminated were two supervisory attorneys from the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., as well as a line attorney who actively prosecuted cases related to the riot. The dismissals were communicated through letters that cited 'Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States' but did not specify any reasons for their immediate removal. This move has raised concerns regarding the Trump administration's increasing disregard for civil service protections and the independence of the Justice Department, as it appears to be part of a broader effort to reshape the agency by removing personnel deemed insufficiently loyal.

The context for these firings includes a series of actions taken by the Trump administration that have alarmed legal experts and civil rights advocates. Since the Capitol riot, there have been notable changes within the Justice Department, including the firing and demotion of several attorneys involved in prosecutions against Trump and his associates. This trend has fueled fears about the potential impact on the ongoing legal proceedings against the over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 events. Additionally, Trump’s pardons of several rioters, including those convicted of serious offenses like seditious conspiracy, have further complicated the landscape for prosecutors. The actions taken by interim officials within the Justice Department, such as demoting key prosecutors involved in high-profile cases, underscore a troubling pattern of political interference that threatens the integrity of the judicial process. The Justice Department has not publicly commented on the recent firings, leaving many questions unanswered regarding the motivations behind these personnel decisions.

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Source URL: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/28/politics/justice-department-doj-fires-jan-6-prosecutors-pam-bondi

The Justice Department on Friday fired at least three prosecutors involved inU.S. Capitol riot criminal cases, the latest moves by the Trump administration targeting attorneys connected to the massive prosecution of theJan. 6, 2021, attack,according to two people familiar with the matter.

Those dismissed include two attorneys who worked as supervisors overseeing the Jan. 6 prosecutions in the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington as well as a line attorney who prosecuted cases stemming from the Capitol attack, the people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

A letter that was received by one of the prosecutors was signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The letter did not provide a reason for their removal, effective immediately, citing only “Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States,” according to a copy seen by The Associated Press.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment Friday evening.

The terminations marked yet another escalation of norm-shattering moves that have raised alarm over the Trump administration’s disregard for civil service protections for career lawyers and the erosion of the Justice Department’s independence from the White House. Top leaders at the Justice Department have also fired employees who worked onthe prosecutions against Trumpand demoted a slew of career supervisors in what has been seen as an effort to purge the agency of lawyers seen as insufficiently loyal.

Trump’s sweeping pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters have led to worries about actions being taken against attorneys involved in the massive prosecution of the more than 1,500 Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory.Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of all of them on his first day back in the White House, releasing from prison people convicted of seditious conspiracy and violent assaults on police.

During his time as interim US attorney in Washington, Ed Martin in Februarydemoted several prosecutors involved in the Jan. 6 cases,including the attorney who served as chief of the Capitol Siege Section. Others demoted include two lawyers who helped secure seditious conspiracy convictions against Oath Keepers founderStewart Rhodesand former Proud Boys national chairmanEnrique Tarrio.

In January, then-acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Boveordered the firings of about two dozen prosecutorswho had been hired for temporary assignments to support the Jan. 6 cases, but were moved into permanent roles after Trump’s presidential win in November. Bove said he would not “tolerate subversive personnel actions by the previous administration.”

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Source: CNN