Former DOJ Official Accuses Acting Attorney General of Sabotaging Jan. 6 Defendants' Cases

Jonathan Gross, a civil-rights attorney who joined the Justice Department in June 2025 after representing Jan. 6 defendants, says acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has “sabotaged” the department’s Jan. 6 case review. Gross alleges the internal “Weaponization Working Group,” created under former Attorney General Pam Bondi, had no budget or staff, produced no report, and was later shifted to complaints about anti-Christian bias and school-board protests. After urging superiors to reopen cases, Gross was placed on paid leave, reassigned to menial duties, and left the DOJ.

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The Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol in 2021 injured 140 police officers and triggered the largest federal criminal investigation in Justice Department history. In 2024, Pam Bondi launched the Weaponization Working Group to examine claims that the FBI and prosecutors targeted Trump supporters. The charter called for a review of alleged abuses, but internal documents show it never received funding or staff.

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The dispute involves Jonathan Gross, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, former AG Pam Bondi, and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. Former Jan. 6 defendant Jared Wise, also in the working group, echoed Gross’s criticism. Recent DOJ indictments of the Southern Poverty Law Center and former FBI director James Comey have added controversy.

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The Justice Department declined comment on Gross’s allegations. Acting AG Blanche denied his actions were an “audition” for the top job, saying he has served as deputy AG for over a year. Jan. 6 prosecutors reject misconduct claims, calling the working group partisan. The SPLC will “vigorously defend” against its indictment.

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Gross called Blanche’s actions “sabotage” and “sloppy,” warning retaliation would be “ironic.” Former defendant Wise posted on X that the DOJ “doesn’t comprehend the damage” to Jan. 6 defendants, echoing Gross’s claim the department “doesn’t care.”

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Sources confirm the working group had no budget or staff, but another source says it now focuses on alleged anti-Christian bias and school-board protest targeting, indicating a shift from its Jan. 6 mandate. No formal report on the Capitol riot prosecutions has been released.

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• “They just don't care.” — Jonathan Gross

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• “'You can't do this.' Gross says his short tenure at the Justice Department unraveled because of his advocacy for Jan. 6 defendants and others he believed had been targeted by a politicized justice system. He told Straka that he repeatedly emailed superiors about cases he thought deserved renewed scrutiny.” — Harmeet Dhillon (as quoted by Gross)

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• “Todd Blanche was in charge for over a year and sabotaged Pam Bondi so he could swoop in and take her job,” — Jonathan Gross

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• “I don't audition for this job,” — Todd Blanche

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Gross continues to campaign against Blanche on media, while the Justice Department faces pressure over the SPLC and James Comey indictments. Observers expect further legal challenges from Jan. 6 defendants and congressional inquiries into the Weaponization Working Group’s unfinished review.

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