Two top prosecutors at the US Department of Justice have been placed on administrative leave amid a move by President Donald Trump's administration to curb prosecution efforts that run counter to its interests. The officials, Samuel White and Carlos Valdivia, were given notices that effectively locked them out of their government devices just days before they were set to appear in court for the sentencing of Taylor Taranto, a Navy veteran convicted on unrelated charges.
Taranto, one of over 1,500 rioters pardoned by Trump for participating in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, had been charged with four misdemeanors related to breaching the Speaker's Chamber during the violent clash. However, his charges were dropped after Trump intervened, and he was later convicted on unrelated offenses.
The suspension of White and Valdivia comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to limit prosecution efforts that it deems unfavorable. The move has raised eyebrows among career prosecutors who are assigned to cases regardless of the presidential administration in power.
Critics argue that the suspensions demonstrate a pattern of retaliation against federal prosecutors who have pursued cases that run counter to the Republican president's interests. In January, nearly two dozen employees of the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, were fired, many with links to the January 6 prosecutions carried out under former President Joe Biden.
The move has also sparked concerns about the integrity of the justice system and the rule of law. As the case against Taranto was heard, a judge praised the suspended prosecutors for their professionalism, highlighting the challenges they face in upholding the law when faced with pressure from the executive branch.
The Justice Department has yet to comment on the suspensions of White and Valdivia, but the move is seen as part of a broader effort by Trump's administration to exert control over prosecution efforts that it perceives as unfavorable.
Taranto, one of over 1,500 rioters pardoned by Trump for participating in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, had been charged with four misdemeanors related to breaching the Speaker's Chamber during the violent clash. However, his charges were dropped after Trump intervened, and he was later convicted on unrelated offenses.
The suspension of White and Valdivia comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to limit prosecution efforts that it deems unfavorable. The move has raised eyebrows among career prosecutors who are assigned to cases regardless of the presidential administration in power.
Critics argue that the suspensions demonstrate a pattern of retaliation against federal prosecutors who have pursued cases that run counter to the Republican president's interests. In January, nearly two dozen employees of the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, were fired, many with links to the January 6 prosecutions carried out under former President Joe Biden.
The move has also sparked concerns about the integrity of the justice system and the rule of law. As the case against Taranto was heard, a judge praised the suspended prosecutors for their professionalism, highlighting the challenges they face in upholding the law when faced with pressure from the executive branch.
The Justice Department has yet to comment on the suspensions of White and Valdivia, but the move is seen as part of a broader effort by Trump's administration to exert control over prosecution efforts that it perceives as unfavorable.
... So they're basically silencing these prosecutors who are just doing their job? It doesn't make sense to me 
. I mean, if you think the justice system is all about politics, then we got bigger problems 
. What's next, firing judges or something? 
I'm not saying Trump's the worst president ever, but come on... let the law be the law, ya know? 
And what's with all these pardons for rioters? 
It's like they're trying to rewrite history books or something 
.
What's next? The government gets to decide what laws are worth enforcing and which ones are just for show?
while secretly manipulating the system to serve their own interests. I'm not buying it. The real question is: who's really holding power here? 
. What if someone in the White House asks these prosecutors to drop charges or something, and they can't do their job without getting fired? That's just not how it's supposed to work. And what about all those people who got pardoned for being part of that crazy Capitol riot? It's just so suspicious...
but at the same time, it's kinda fishy how suddenly these two guys get put on admin leave just before a court hearing... was that a coincidence or what? 
2day is a dark day 4 justice 
? It's like, what's next, them not letting the FBI investigate any crimes that Trump is involved in 
? This whole thing is giving me major "what's good" vibes 
. I mean, what about justice for Taylor Taranto and all those others who got pardoned for rioting at the Capitol? It's like, the law of the land is being rewritten before our eyes 
.
I mean, what even is the point of having an independent judiciary if we're just gonna let the president dictate who gets prosecuted and who doesn't? 
Like, are they trying to intimidate the other prosecutors who work on cases that aren't in Trump's favor? 
Anyway, it's kinda sad when you think about the integrity of the justice system being called into question. Can someone explain it to me like I'm 5? 
and its not just them, like nearly 2 dozen ppl got fired at the US Attorney's Office in DC already 
. And I hope these prosecutors are able to fight back against this nonsense 
. The public has a right to know what's going on behind the scenes and who's pulling the strings 
. Anything less is just a recipe for disaster 
. I get it, everyone wants to do what's right for the country, but when you're playing with fire and suspending top prosecutors without a clear reason, that's just not right 
. It feels like we're going backwards. I mean, what message does this send to law enforcement and prosecutors? That they can just be suspended or fired if they don't play ball with the administration's interests? 
, it feels like we're back in the Watergate era all over again. I mean, think about it, Nixon had his way with the justice system too... and now Trump's doing the same thing. It's like he's trying to stack the deck against anyone who dares to go after him or his buddies. And what's up with these suspensions? It's just so... arbitrary. I remember when Clinton was in power, there were some shady dealings back then too... but this is different. This feels like a slippery slope where they're trying to control everything. The judge did say those suspended prosecutors were pros, but it's hard not to wonder if they'd be still employed if Trump didn't want them around 
I'm kinda worried about where we're headed with all this, reminds me of that old newsreel footage from Nixon's time, you know how he was always getting under everybody's skin? 
same vibes here, but instead of a president, it's the whole administration being super aggressive and controlling