The Trump Justice Department fired at least three attorneys on Friday who were involved in handling prosecutions related to the Jan. 6, 2021, incursion at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
One letter, provided to the Associated Press, was signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and did not give a specific reason for their termination.
It only stated the firing was effective immediately, citing “Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States.”
This is a reference to presidential powers and executive authority.
Two of the attorneys who were let go worked as supervisors overseeing the Jan. 6 prosecutions through the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, along with a line attorney tasked with prosecuting related cases, according to an anonymous source with whom the AP spoke.
President Donald Trump had previously referred to the Jan. 6 defendants as political prisoners and issued blanket pardons or commuted sentences for them upon returning to the White House in January.
“All the prosecutions are tainted,” one advisor reportedly said. “It’s time to move on.”
Only weeks after Trump’s executive actions, the FBI agreed to turn over the details of the 5,000 FBI agents who played a role in investigating cases relating to Jan. 6.
FBI leadership agreed to comply after a memo was circulated with the subject line “Terminations.” The memo came from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove and said officials had a hard deadline to submit the details of these cases, or face being fired.
Should more Jan. 6 prosecutors get the boot?
Following Trump’s own public persecution, he promised to end the weaponization of the Justice Department, especially against certain individuals who were targeted for their religious or political beliefs. This included pro-lifers, conservatives, and Christians.
There is also an effort underway to investigate the targeting of Trump himself, which has triggered the reshuffling and realignment of the DOJ.
The news of the terminations comes just weeks after the U.S. government was hit with a lawsuit over Jan. 6 by Proud Boys boss Enrique Tarrio and four of his underlings. They accused prosecutors of having been motivated by personal animus rather than matters of law when they went after the entity.
In addition, legal group Judicial Watch filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit over the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer during the incursion.
The lawsuit was settled by the Trump administration for $5 million.
Trump and his officials at the Justice Department have the right to clean house. These attorneys and officials serve at the pleasure of the president. And there are still people working there from when the agency was trying to put then-candidate Trump in prison.
There’s likely to be backlash in the media, and from Democrats, but that’s always the case when Trump is involved.
They should brace themselves for even more firings and personnel changes in the near future, because the White House is seemingly just getting started.
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