More than a dozen officials involved in the criminal investigations of Donald Trump have been fired, according to sources familiar with the situation.
A letter from acting Attorney General James McHenry to the dismissed officials stated that they could not be “trusted” to “faithfully” carry out Trump’s agenda.
“You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump. The proper functioning of government critically depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates,” McHenry wrote.
“Given your significant role in prosecuting the President, I do not believe that the leadership of the Department can trust you to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully.”
The firings coincide with the Trump administration’s efforts to take concrete steps in investigating prosecutors who handled the criminal cases against January 6 defendants.
Trump had previously vowed to seek retribution, making it a key campaign pledge, according to multiple sources who have reviewed an internal memo on the matter.
Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., has initiated an investigation into the prosecutors who pursued obstruction charges under U.S. Code 1512(c) against some rioters—charges that were ultimately thrown out due to a Supreme Court ruling last summer.
Referring to the inquiry as a “special project,” Martin issued a memo on Monday directing attorneys to turn over “all information you have related to the use of 1512 charges, including all files, documents, notes, emails, and other information” to two long-term prosecutors within the office. These prosecutors are expected to submit a report on their findings by Friday.
Donald Trump (Photo: Getty Images)“Obviously the use was a great failure of our office – s. ct. decision – and we need to get to the bottom of it,” the memo states, referencing the Supreme Court’s June decision that restricted the federal government’s ability to pursue obstruction charges against the January 6 rioters.
The document request also extends to former prosecutors who have since left the U.S. attorney’s office.
The move follows an already significant shakeup at the Justice Department, where officials linked to high-profile investigations have been reassigned—including those involved in the now-dismissed case against Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases told that the memo has raised concerns that Trump’s Department of Justice is beginning to “investigate the investigators,” a long-standing threat he has made.
One individual who worked on the Capitol riot cases told that prosecutors are uncertain whether this probe is intended to bring criminal or civil charges, prompting some to hire their own legal counsel in preparation for possible defense.
A senior administration official familiar with Martin’s email described the effort as a “fact-finding” mission, characterizing it as a “huge waste of resources.”
“The prior office screwed up by filing hundreds of cases that ended up getting thrown out by the Supreme Court, it is worth getting to the bottom of poor decision making,” the official said.
Martin, a hardline social conservative activist and commentator who was an organizer with the “Stop the Steal” movement, was appointed to his role last week. Since assuming office, he has publicly praised Trump’s decision to issue mass pardons for January 6 defendants.
Additionally, Martin successfully petitioned a judge to lift travel restrictions imposed on members of the Oath Keepers following their release from prison.
He defended the move, stating: “If a judge decided that Jim Biden, General Mark Milley, or another individual were forbidden to visit America’s capital — even after receiving a last-minute, preemptive pardon from the former President — I believe most Americans would object. The individuals referenced in our motion have had their sentences commuted – period, end of sentence.”