DOJ Faces Lawsuit From Fired Capitol Riot Prosecutor \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Michael Gordon, a former federal prosecutor who led high-profile Jan. 6 cases, is suing the U.S. government, alleging his firing was politically motivated. Gordon and two other former DOJ officials claim their dismissals followed partisan interference. Gordon was working on a major fraud case when he was abruptly terminated without explanation.
Quick Looks
- Michael Gordon prosecuted over 36 Jan. 6 defendants
- Suing DOJ, AG Pam Bondi, and Executive Office
- Claims firing was political retribution under Trump administration
- Two other officials, Hartman and Tirrell, also plaintiffs
- Gordon had received top performance marks days before termination
- Was handling $100M fraud case at time of dismissal
- Described by peers as skilled and apolitical
- Trump’s DOJ shakeup included mass firings and pardons
Deep Look
Michael Gordon, a former federal prosecutor renowned for his role in prosecuting key figures involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, is now suing the federal government after being fired under what he claims were politically driven circumstances. Gordon alleges that his termination on June 27, 2025, was directly tied to his successful prosecution of Trump supporters involved in the insurrection. His lawsuit, filed Thursday, targets the Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Executive Office of President Donald J. Trump.
Gordon, who joined the DOJ in 2017, had received top marks on a performance review just two days before he was fired. Despite his strong record, he was dismissed without explanation. The official letter, signed by Bondi, provided no details—only a reference to “Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States.” Gordon sees the action as a clear signal of political retribution.
“I didn’t lose my job for breaking the law,” Gordon told the Associated Press. “I lost it for enforcing it.” He had been working on a major fraud case involving Leo Govoni, a Florida businessman accused of embezzling over $100 million from medical trust funds, when his employment was abruptly terminated.
Since President Trump began his second term in January 2025, the Justice Department has undergone a dramatic and controversial overhaul. Numerous career attorneys and senior officials have been fired, demoted, or forced to resign—many of whom were connected to high-profile prosecutions of Trump allies and supporters. Gordon, along with two other former officials—Patricia Hartman, a former public affairs specialist, and Joseph Tirrell, who led the DOJ’s ethics division—has filed what is believed to be the first legal challenge stemming from these terminations.
Gordon’s resume includes the prosecution of over three dozen defendants involved in the Capitol riot. His caseload included some of the most recognizable names: Richard “Bigo” Barnett, who was photographed with his feet on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk; Eric Munchel, who entered the Senate chamber carrying zip ties and a stun gun; and Rebecca Lavrenz, dubbed the “J6 praying grandma” for her online persona. He also prosecuted Ray Epps, a man at the center of right-wing conspiracy theories falsely suggesting he was a federal agent who incited the riot to entrap Trump supporters.
Peers and former colleagues say Gordon was not just effective—he was essential. Michael Romano, formerly the deputy chief of the now-defunct Capitol Siege Section, remarked, “There is no reason why you would want to lose somebody like Mike Gordon.” Jason Manning, another former DOJ prosecutor, described Gordon as “remarkably skilled at trial,” noting that he helped set the tone and standard for other attorneys navigating the unprecedented Jan. 6 caseload.
Yet, under President Trump’s renewed administration, the political landscape within the DOJ has shifted dramatically. In one of his first executive moves, Trump issued blanket pardons and commutations for many of those charged or convicted in connection with the Capitol attack. He also appointed Ed Martin Jr., a vocal defender of Jan. 6 participants and conservative activist, as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Martin promptly reorganized key sections of the DOJ, demoting or removing prosecutors who had worked on politically sensitive cases—including those tied to the insurrection.
Gordon was not among the first wave of DOJ purges and had hoped his record would shield him. But when he and his two co-plaintiffs were fired on the same day in late June, he realized the scope of what was happening. “You don’t fire one of your top prosecutors in the middle of a $100 million fraud case unless politics matters more than justice,” Gordon said. “They fired me not for anything I failed to do, but for prosecuting people they wanted protected.”
The lawsuit paints a stark picture of what critics say is a Justice Department reshaped to protect political allies and punish those who enforce the law impartially. Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor of Florida has called on Attorney General Bondi to reinstate Gordon, citing his critical role in the Govoni fraud case. “The victims deserve closure, and the public deserves a justice system free from intimidation and partisan retribution,” she wrote in a formal letter.
Gordon has expressed willingness to return to his post but insists this case is about more than just one job. “When prosecutors are punished for doing their jobs, we all lose the protection of the law,” he stated. “I’ve spent my entire professional life defending the rule of law. Now I’m forced to defend it from the inside out.”
His firing occurred while he was in the middle of a video call, preparing a trial witness. An office administrator entered his room unannounced and handed him the termination notice. It was a moment Gordon said made everything painfully clear. “They didn’t just end my job. They sent a message—to every prosecutor still inside the DOJ—that justice is now political,” he said.
As his lawsuit proceeds, Gordon hopes it will shine a light on what he describes as a systemic effort by the Trump administration to compromise the independence of the Justice Department. “My story may be small,” he said, “but the bigger story is about what kind of country we’re becoming if justice is decided not by law, but by loyalty.”
DOJ Faces Lawsuit DOJ Faces Lawsuit DOJ Faces Lawsuit
You must Register or Login to post a comment.