WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has launched a months-long effort to prosecute people accused of assaulting or hindering federal officers while protesting President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and military deployments. Attorney General Pam Bondi has vowed such offenders will face ‘severe consequences.’
In a review of scores of criminal prosecutions brought by federal prosecutors, The Associated Press found that the Justice Department has struggled to deliver on Bondi’s pledge. An analysis of 166 federal criminal cases brought since May against people in four Democratic-led cities at the epicenter of demonstrations found that aggressive charging decisions and rhetoric painting defendants as domestic terrorists have frequently failed to hold up in court.
‘It’s clear from this data that the government is being extremely aggressive and charging for things that ordinarily wouldn’t be charged at all,’ said Mary McCord, a former federal prosecutor who is the director of Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy. ‘They appear to want to chill people from protesting against the administration’s mass deportation plans.’
While initial charges of felony assaults on federal agents were brought against 100 individuals, 55 saw their charges reduced to misdemeanors or dismissed, as prosecutors struggled to secure necessary grand jury indictments and allegations were questioned.
Critically, the report also mentioned that despite the administration's rhetoric labeling protesters as ‘antifa,’ there were no formal accusations of domestic terrorism linked to the arrests reviewed. The Justice Department spokesperson reiterated its stance of not tolerating violence against law enforcement but faced defeats in all five misdemeanor trials to date, raising eyebrows among legal experts about the efficacy and direction of current prosecutions.
As of now, over 50 cases remain pending, showcasing the continuing legal battle between the Justice Department and those protesting against what they view as oppressive federal actions.
In a review of scores of criminal prosecutions brought by federal prosecutors, The Associated Press found that the Justice Department has struggled to deliver on Bondi’s pledge. An analysis of 166 federal criminal cases brought since May against people in four Democratic-led cities at the epicenter of demonstrations found that aggressive charging decisions and rhetoric painting defendants as domestic terrorists have frequently failed to hold up in court.
‘It’s clear from this data that the government is being extremely aggressive and charging for things that ordinarily wouldn’t be charged at all,’ said Mary McCord, a former federal prosecutor who is the director of Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy. ‘They appear to want to chill people from protesting against the administration’s mass deportation plans.’
While initial charges of felony assaults on federal agents were brought against 100 individuals, 55 saw their charges reduced to misdemeanors or dismissed, as prosecutors struggled to secure necessary grand jury indictments and allegations were questioned.
Critically, the report also mentioned that despite the administration's rhetoric labeling protesters as ‘antifa,’ there were no formal accusations of domestic terrorism linked to the arrests reviewed. The Justice Department spokesperson reiterated its stance of not tolerating violence against law enforcement but faced defeats in all five misdemeanor trials to date, raising eyebrows among legal experts about the efficacy and direction of current prosecutions.
As of now, over 50 cases remain pending, showcasing the continuing legal battle between the Justice Department and those protesting against what they view as oppressive federal actions.
