Colorado Politics

Fired DOJ employees tied to Jan. 6 cases sue Trump administration

Three lawyers recently fired by the Department of Justice after working on Jan. 6 cases sued the Trump administration on Thursday over their “unlawful and unconstitutional” terminations.

The lawsuit, filed in a District of Columbia federal court, alleges the employees were wrongfully fired because Attorney General Pam Bondi did not give specific reasons for their departures. One-page memos concerning each ex-employee were issued pursuant to Article II of the Constitution.

The plaintiffs, Michael Gordon, Patricia Hartman, and Joseph Tirrell, claim in the lawsuit that their due process rights under the Fifth Amendment were undermined in their removals. Gordon was fired unexpectedly last month, while the other two were let go earlier this month.

The complaint argues the terminations are “not in accordance with the law,” “contrary to a constitutional right, power, privilege, or immunity,” and “in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right.”

Gordon handled top cases related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. He was prosecuting a medical fraud case shortly before his firing, which struck him as a “particular shock” because he was chosen to co-lead that case. It resulted in a 15-count grand jury indictment of the two defendants.

Hartman was a public affairs specialist who oversaw the creation of DOJ press releases about Jan. 6 cases. Meanwhile, Tirrell formerly led the DOJ’s Departmental Ethics Office.

The plaintiffs are wondering if they were singled out for politically motivated reasons because of their ties to the Jan. 6 prosecutions.

“Notably, Mr. Gordon was fired on the same day as two other [Assistant United States Attorneys] who had previously worked on the prosecution of January 6th defendants, indicating that Mr. Gordon’s termination was retaliation for prosecutions that were perceived as politically-affiliated,” the federal lawsuit states.

PAM BONDI FIRES THREE PROSECUTORS INVOLVED IN JAN. 6 CASES

The plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and are asking the judge to order their reinstatement at the DOJ, complete with back pay and any damages.

The department has fired an estimated 200 career employees across its divisions and agencies, according to an advocacy group for former DOJ employees called the Justice Connection. For months, the Trump administration has been laying off tens of thousands of government employees to make the executive branch less bloated and more efficient.

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