Justice Department fires 4 prosecutors accused of bias
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- The Trump administration fired four Justice Department prosecutors involved in cases against anti-abortion activists, accusing the Biden administration of abusing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) to selectively prosecute based on beliefs.
- The report from the Justice Department’s “Weaponization Working Group” alleges that the Biden administration downplayed attacks on pregnancy resource centers and houses of worship while pushing for harsher sentences against anti-abortion activists.
- Biden officials, including former Civil Rights Division leader Kristen Clarke, defended their prosecutions as even-handed and focused on public safety, countering claims of political bias.
- Former Civil Rights Division attorneys criticized the Trump administration’s report as misleading and praised the fired prosecutors as ethical career professionals.
- The firings are part of a wider purge of career Justice Department lawyers, raising concerns about politicization and the impact on civil service protections within the agency.
