Story perspectives

DOJ Places Prosecutors on Leave Over January 6 Memo

10/30/2025

Summary

Prosecutors Face Leave

The Justice Department placed federal prosecutors Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White on administrative leave for calling the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack a "mob of rioters" in a sentencing memo for Taylor Taranto.
Taranto, who was pardoned by former President Trump, faced new charges for illegal firearms possession following his June 2023 arrest near former President Obama's home.
The DOJ initially sought a 27-month sentence for Taranto, but withdrew the memo as new prosecutors assumed the case amid ongoing personnel changes related to January 6 cases.

History

Historical Context

The January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, incited by false claims of electoral fraud, led to over 1,000 individuals charged, marking the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history. Following the attack, President Trump granted blanket pardons to nearly 1,600 convicted participants on January 20, 2025, raising concerns about accountability and the normalization of political violence in American society.

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Prosecutors Face Leave

The Justice Department placed federal prosecutors Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White on administrative leave for calling the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack a "mob of rioters" in a sentencing memo for Taylor Taranto.
Taranto, who was pardoned by former President Trump, faced new charges for illegal firearms possession following his June 2023 arrest near former President Obama's home.
The DOJ initially sought a 27-month sentence for Taranto, but withdrew the memo as new prosecutors assumed the case amid ongoing personnel changes related to January 6 cases.

1 / 2