Three former employees of the Justice Department (DOJ) filed a complaint against the Trump administration on Thursday.
This initiative was spearheaded by Michael Gordon, a former federal prosecutor involved in significant cases tied to the January 6 Capitol attack. Joining him were Patricia Hartman, who previously worked in public relations at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Joseph Tyrrell, a former head of the Department of Ethics Office at the DOJ.
In a recent court document, they argue that their terminations “do not adhere to legal standards,” infringe upon constitutional rights, and “exceed statutory authority or limitations.”
This occurs in the backdrop of nearly 200 job terminations in the agency as President Trump seeks to reform the federal workforce and eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
“Each time we think the situation is settling, another wave hits,” remarked Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) following substantial layoffs. “I expect more to come.”
Attorney General Pam Bondy has also dismissed 20 staff members who were part of special advisor Jack Smith’s team. These firings were linked to investigations regarding Trump’s handling of classified documents post-presidency and attempts to retain power after losing the 2020 election.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit contend that Bondy lacks the authority to terminate DOJ employees without following due process, emphasizing the safeguards designed to protect employees from unlawful terminations.
They further argued that “employees should be shielded from arbitrary actions, personal favoritism, or coercion for partisan political purposes.”
Gordon, who previously served as a U.S. attorney, was let go by Bondy on June 27 without any explanation.
“The law demands that the government first issue a warning and must not fire federal prosecutors without valid justification,” he stated in an interview with WFLA.
His firing coincided with those of two other U.S. attorneys also involved in the January 6 case, suggesting that the dismissals were retaliatory in nature based on politically motivated prosecutions.
Hartman, responsible for communications surrounding the January 6 case, was terminated on July 7 during the workday; her termination notice cited Article 2 of the Constitution as justification.
Tyrrell, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, was dismissed on July 11, as detailed in the lawsuit.
“The arbitrary firings within the DOJ are escalating significantly. The very institutions established to uphold the law are disregarding the Civil Service Act enacted by Congress, which is not only embarrassing but also damaging the workforce.”
The DOJ has yet to respond to requests for comment.
