WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Justice Department on Friday fired at least three prosecutors involved in , the latest moves by the Trump administration targeting attorneys connected to the massive prosecution of the 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鈥檚 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 鈥淎rticle II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States,鈥� 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鈥檚 disregard for civil service protections for career lawyers and the erosion of the Justice Department鈥檚 independence from the White House. Top leaders at the Justice Department have also fired employees who worked on and 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 election victory. , releasing from prison people convicted of seditious conspiracy and violent assaults on police.
During his time as interim U.S. attorney in Washington, Ed Martin in February 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 founder and former Proud Boys national chairman .
In January, then-acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove who had been hired for temporary assignments to support the Jan. 6 cases, but were moved into permanent roles after Trump鈥檚 presidential win in November. Bove said he would not 鈥渢olerate subversive personnel actions by the previous administration.鈥�
Alanna Durkin Richer, The Associated Press
