WASHINGTON — Defense attorneys for the man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner want senior Justice Department leaders removed from his prosecution, claiming their presence at the event creates a conflict of interest.
Cole Tomas Allen’s legal team filed court documents Thursday evening requesting that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro be barred from making prosecutorial decisions in the case. Both officials were at the Washington Hilton on April 25 when Allen allegedly breached security and discharged a shotgun at a Secret Service agent.
Defense lawyers Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe, both assistant federal public defenders, contend that having potential victims oversee the prosecution raises serious ethical concerns.
“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder — how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe wrote.
The defense team suggested appointing a special prosecutor and asked U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, nominated by Trump, to remove Pirro, Blanche and potentially other department officials from direct participation in the case.
“Both heard gunshots, which presumably forced them to duck below the tables with the rest of the occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Shortly thereafter, they learned that law enforcement believed the target was certain administration officials,” Ohm and Abe wrote.
Pirro announced her office would file a response to the defense motion and issued a strong statement about the case.
“We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” Pirro said in a statement.
Allen faces arraignment Monday following Tuesday’s grand jury indictment in Washington. The charges include attempting to kill President Donald Trump, who maintains a close friendship with Pirro. Blanche previously represented Trump as a private lawyer before joining the Justice Department last year.
When contacted for comment, Blanche’s spokesperson directed inquiries to Pirro’s office.
Additional charges against Allen include assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two firearms violations. The attempted assassination charge alone carries a potential life sentence upon conviction.
During the incident, the targeted Secret Service officer sustained one gunshot to his bulletproof vest and returned fire five times without striking anyone. Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, suffered injuries but was not shot.
