Justice Department's Controversial Personnel Shake-Up

The U.S. Justice Department has put two prosecutors on leave following their reference to January 6 rioters as 'a mob' in a sentencing memo. The decision came ahead of Taylor Taranto's sentencing in a high-profile federal case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel White and Carlos Valdivia were removed from their duties and their devices locked just before they were scheduled to appear in court for Taranto's gun charge case. Taranto had previously been prosecuted for his involvement in the January 6 riot and later pardoned by Trump, though he remained in custody due to the 2023 gun charges.

This decision continues a trend of personnel moves affecting Justice Department employees involved in cases Trump and his allies disfavor, impacting over 200 individuals including those working on criminal cases against Trump himself.