Two Prosecutors Suspended After Labeling Jan. 6 as ‘Mob of Rioters’

UPDATE: Two U.S. attorneys in Washington, D.C., have been suspended following their controversial characterization of the January 6 Capitol riots as a “mob of rioters.” The decision comes just hours after Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White filed a sentencing memo in the case against Taylor Taranto, prompting immediate backlash from higher-ups.

The memo, submitted on October 29, 2023, described the events of January 6, 2021, as an attack involving “thousands of people comprising a mob of rioters” who stormed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Taranto, who was previously pardoned by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the riots, faces sentencing for unrelated charges of making threats and possessing firearms.

Sources indicate that Valdivia and White were locked out of their government-issued devices and placed on leave on the same day they filed the memo. The urgency of this suspension raises questions about the integrity of the judicial process and the political climate surrounding cases linked to the Capitol insurrection.

Taranto is scheduled to be sentenced this coming Friday, with prosecutors recommending a 27-month prison term for his actions, which include a hoax threat against the National Institute of Standards and Technology and driving with a van full of guns through President Barack Obama‘s neighborhood.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice, along with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, declined to comment on the specifics of the personnel decisions but emphasized the seriousness with which they treat threats against law enforcement and government officials. Pirro stated, “We have and will continue to vigorously pursue justice against those who commit or threaten violence without regard to the political party of the offender or the target.”

The abrupt suspension of Valdivia and White raises significant concerns about the influence of political pressures on legal proceedings. It remains unclear whether the prosecutors were given a formal reason for their leave or if this will affect Taranto’s sentencing timeline.

As this story develops, legal observers are watching closely for further implications regarding the treatment of cases connected to the January 6 riots and the broader impact on the Justice Department’s approach to politically charged cases. The high stakes of this situation underscore the ongoing national dialogue surrounding accountability and justice in the face of political violence.

Readers are urged to stay tuned for updates as this situation evolves.