Two Prosecutors Suspended After Describing Jan. 6 as ‘Mob’

UPDATE: Two U.S. prosecutors have been suspended just hours after they labeled the January 6 Capitol riots as the actions of a “mob of rioters” in a recent sentencing memo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were put on leave following their submission regarding Taylor Taranto, which has sparked controversy and raised questions about the decision-making within the Justice Department.

The memo, filed on October 29, details how a “mob of rioters” attacked the U.S. Capitol during the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Taranto, who was arrested for unrelated threats and firearms charges, is scheduled for sentencing on November 3, where prosecutors are requesting a 27-month prison term.

Valdivia and White were abruptly locked out of their government-issued devices on Wednesday and informed of their suspension shortly after filing the memo, according to sources speaking to ABC News and Politico. The description of the January 6 events has ignited a firestorm, leading to their immediate removal from the case.

Taranto, previously pardoned by former President Donald Trump, was accused of participating in the Capitol riot and later promoting conspiracy theories surrounding the event. His sentencing will consider his actions, which included making a hoax threat against the National Institute of Standards and Technology and driving through a neighborhood associated with former President Barack Obama while armed.

Officials from the Department of Justice have refrained from commenting on the personnel decisions but emphasized their commitment to prosecuting violence against law enforcement and government officials “without regard to the political party of the offender or the target,” as stated by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

The suspensions of Valdivia and White raise pressing questions about the implications for Taranto’s sentencing and the broader narrative surrounding the January 6 insurrection. It remains unclear whether their leave will impact the upcoming sentencing date.

As this story develops, the legal community and the public are closely watching how this situation unfolds, particularly given the heightened sensitivity surrounding the events of January 6. The outcome may have significant ramifications for how such cases are handled in the future.

Stay tuned for more updates as this situation progresses.