More than a dozen officials involved in criminal investigations into US President Donald Trump have been fired, suggest reports citing sources familiar with the situation.
Why were they fired?
Acting Attorney General James McHenry in a letter informed fired officials that they cannot be "trusted" to "faithfully" implement Trump's agenda.
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McHenry wrote, "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… 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."
'Investigate the investigators'
The firings coincide with steps taken by the Trump administration to investigate prosecutors who oversaw the criminal cases against the January 6 criminal case that Trump recently pardoned. These actions are in line with the Republican's campaign pledge to seek retribution.
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Interim US Attorney for Washington, DC, Ed Martin, has initiated a review of obstruction charges brought under US Code 1512(c) against Capitol rioters, reports CNN. Some of these charges were tossed by a Supreme Court ruling last year.
In an internal memo issued on Monday, Martin described the initiative as a "special project," and requested the attorneys to submit "all information you have related to the use of 1512 charges, including all files, documents, notes, emails, and other information". The materials will be reviewed, and a report is due by Friday. The investigation extends to former prosecutors who have since left the Department of Justice (DOJ).
"Obviously the use was a great failure of our office – s. ct. decision – and we need to get to the bottom of it," Martin wrote, referencing the Supreme Court decision that limited the power of federal prosecutors to pursue obstruction charges against the January 6 rioters.
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Concerns of retribution
Prosecutors connected to January 6 cases told CNN that they were concerned that Trump's DOJ may be moving to "investigate the investigators."
A person involved in the January 6 cases told CNN the situation is unsettling, and that it was unclear whether the investigation could lead to criminal or civil charges. In light of the uncertainty, several prosecutors are reportedly starting to hire their own lawyers for their defence.
(With inputs from agencies)