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Federal Prosecutors Placed on Leave After Describing January 6 Attack as "Mob of Rioters"

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Two federal prosecutors in Washington, DC, were placed on leave after submitting a sentencing memo that described the January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol as stemming from a "mob of rioters." The prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, were notified of their suspension hours after submitting the memo for Taylor Taranto, a man who was pardoned by Donald Trump for charges related to his participation in the January 6 attack. However, Taranto still faces gun charges stemming from his arrest in the summer of 2023.

The original sentencing memo was removed from the court docket on Wednesday afternoon and replaced with a new memo that removed all references to January 6 and a Trump social media post that Taranto reposted, which included an alleged address for President Barack Obama. In the original memo, the prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Taranto to 27 months behind bars, a punishment still being requested by prosecutors in the new memo.

The move to place federal prosecutors on leave follows a series of firings in US Attorney's offices, including the dismissal of a prosecutor in the Alexandria who mishandled FBI documents containing personal information of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Key Takeaways:

  • Two federal prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, were placed on leave after submitting a sentencing memo that described the January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol as stemming from a "mob of rioters."
  • The prosecutors were notified of their suspension hours after submitting the memo for Taylor Taranto, a man who was pardoned by Donald Trump for charges related to his participation in the January 6 attack.
  • Taranto still faces gun charges stemming from his arrest in the summer of 2023.
  • The original sentencing memo was removed from the court docket on Wednesday afternoon and replaced with a new memo that removed all references to January 6 and a Trump social media post that Taranto reposted.
  • Prosecutors are still requesting a 27-month sentence for Taranto.
  • The move to place federal prosecutors on leave follows a series of firings in US Attorney's offices, including the dismissal of a prosecutor in the Alexandria who mishandled FBI documents containing personal information of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
  • Taranto was arrested in June 2023 and found guilty of several gun-related charges and making false threats to drive a car bomb into a federal building.

Statistics:

  • 27 months: the original sentence requested by prosecutors for Taranto
  • 2020: the year the presidential election that was certified by Congress on January 6, 2021
  • 2021: the year of the January 6 attack at the US Capitol
  • 2023: the year Taranto was arrested and charged with gun-related crimes
  • 2: the number of federal prosecutors placed on leave
  • 1: the number of prosecutors in the Alexandria US Attorney's Office who have been fired in recent months

Sources:

  • CNN: "Two federal prosecutors placed on leave after describing January 6 attack as 'mob of rioters'"
  • CNN: "Former Trump-era US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia fires top national security prosecutor"
  • CNN: "US Attorney for Eastern District of Virginia resigns after pressure to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James"
  • CNN: "Prosecutor in Alexandria US Attorney's Office dismissed after mishandling FBI documents containing personal information of New York Attorney General Letitia James"

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