Washington, D.C. (February 6, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, fired off a trio of letters to Attorney General Pam Bondi; Kash Patel, nominee to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Edward R. Martin Jr., Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The letters demand an immediate halt to President Donald Trump’s lawless purge of career officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI, and also press for information about the improper role of January 6 Defendants and the White House in illegal firings.
“I write now to call upon you to immediately halt the accelerating outrageous purge taking place of career officials throughout the Department of Justice (DOJ), including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and to immediately reinstate all of those prosecutors and agents who have been wrongfully terminated simply for doing their jobs in the investigation of violent crimes and other serious felonies committed on January 6, 2021 against our police officers and our government,” wrote Ranking Member Raskin in a letter to Attorney General Bondi.
“In light of the promises you made during your confirmation hearings, I am asking for your specific assurances, in writing, that, if confirmed, you will halt the politically-motivated purge of career officials at the FBI that is currently under way, reinstate all individuals who were terminated on the instructions of President Trump’s political appointees […] as part of this purge, and commit to ensuring that all FBI personnel actions will be guided by merit and performance—not sinister political motives—in strict compliance with federal law and the FBI’s standard review processes,” wrote Ranking Member Raskin in a letter to Kash Patel.
Last week, Trump Administration officials, including Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a former defense attorney for President Trump, effectively ordered the termination of multiple senior career officials at the FBI. In addition to wiping out the FBI’s career leadership, Bove has directed the Bureau to provide a list of current and former FBI employees who were assigned “at any time” to the investigation of the violent mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol and police officers on January 6, 2021, in order “to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.” Reports indicate that FBI provided a list including thousands of employees.
Ranking Member Raskin raised concerns that essential agents from around the country have been told to pack their desks, including those who have been working around the clock on recovery efforts in the Potomac River following the airplane and helicopter accident that claimed 67 lives in Washington, D.C. last Thursday.
These actions come as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has conducted his own purge, firing more than a dozen career prosecutors who simply did their job by enforcing criminal laws against the violent insurrectionists of January 6.
“The individuals that you fired prosecuted the violent rioters who tried to prevent the peaceful transition of power. Instead of honoring their brave commitment to upholding the rule of law against all kinds of violent threats and harassment, you betrayed their essential service to America in the vain hopes of trying to rewrite the clear history of January 6th. In the process, you have undermined national security and public safety and deprived the residents of the District of Columbia of qualified and committed prosecutors who used their talents to enforce the law and keep Washington safe. Which side are you on—the side of law-abiding citizens or violent criminals?” wrote the Ranking Member in a letter to Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Edward R. Martin Jr.
Ranking Member Raskin pressed Bondi and Patel to make specific assurances that they would haul the brazen and politically-motivated purge of expert officials that is currently under way at DOJ and FBI.
Ranking Member Raskin also demanded information from the Interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. in order to determine whether his actions violated federal law. This information will allow the Committee to understand the scope, extent, and purpose of his political retaliation against federal prosecutors assigned to prosecute January 6 cases, including his improper communications with the White House and January 6 defendants, at least one of whom he reportedly continued to represent while he served as Interim U.S. Attorney.
Click here to read the letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Click here to read the letter to Kash Patel, nominee to be FBI Director.
Click here to read the letter to the Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Edward R. Martin Jr.
