The Legal Accountability Center filed bar complaints on Tuesday in New York and Virginia against U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and two subordinates, Carlton Davis and Steven Vandervelden, alleging they violated their ethical obligations as prosecutors. The complaints accuse the three officials of abusing prosecutorial powers to pursue what the watchdog characterizes as “meritless” indictments against six Democratic lawmakers the watchdog describes as perceived political opponents of President Donald Trump.
The charges stem from a grand jury proceeding earlier in the year when a Washington grand jury declined to return an indictment against Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin and four House members. These lawmakers had appeared in a video urging U.S. service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they deemed unlawful. All six lawmakers had prior service in the military or intelligence agencies. Trump publicly characterized their actions as sedition in a social media post.
Tim Lauer, a spokesperson for Pirro’s office, responded to the complaints by stating that grand juries, not prosecutors, hold the responsibility for deciding whether to issue indictments. He characterized the bar complaints as a “frivolous” attempt to weaponize disciplinary processes against prosecutors performing their duties.
The watchdog organization argues that grand jury refusals to indict have become increasingly common in Washington during Trump’s current term. The center contends Pirro’s office pursued other legally questionable cases, including a recently abandoned felony charge against a former Olympian accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Michael Teter, the center’s co-founder, stated that prosecutors bear an obligation to exercise independent legal judgment rather than implement a president’s political agenda through the criminal justice system.
Pirro previously worked as a county prosecutor and judge in New York before joining Fox News. She assumed her current role as top federal prosecutor for Washington last year. The Legal Accountability Center has also filed complaints against other Trump administration officials, including Pirro’s predecessor as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
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