Trump Fires Justice Department Lawyers Who Prosecuted Him

The Trump administration has dismissed more than a dozen Justice Department lawyers involved in prosecuting cases against former President Donald Trump, according to an official statement.

Acting Attorney General James McHenry, a Trump appointee, defended the firings by stating that the attorneys could not be trusted to carry out the president’s agenda, citing their significant involvement in legal actions against Trump.

In a termination letter, McHenry invoked Trump’s constitutional authority as chief executive to justify the decision. The dismissed attorneys had worked under Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal cases against Trump.

Both cases were dropped following Trump’s election victory in November. Smith resigned from the Justice Department earlier this month.

The dismissals coincide with an internal review led by Ed Martin, the Trump-appointed top federal prosecutor in Washington, into the use of felony obstruction charges against individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

This review follows a Supreme Court ruling last year that raised the legal threshold for such charges, leading to their dismissal in several cases.

The move represents a significant shake-up within the Justice Department, as Trump continues to seek retribution against those who prosecuted him and his allies during his time out of office. Trump has frequently criticized the Justice Department, accusing it of bias and claiming that the cases against him were politically motivated.

The dismissals follow previous reassignments of up to 20 senior career Justice Department officials, including high-ranking ethics and public corruption officials. Corey Amundson, the former chief of the public corruption section, announced his resignation on Monday, citing the recent reshuffle.

These developments occur as Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, awaits Senate confirmation, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday.

The dismissed attorneys had worked on cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, including charges against Trump for allegedly retaining classified documents and attempting to interfere with the certification of the 2020 election.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, asserting that the cases were an example of the legal system’s “weaponization.” Smith dropped the cases after Trump’s election victory, citing a policy that prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president.