Bloomberg Law Trump Urges Prosecution of Enemies & Luigi Mangione
Sep 25, 2025
Jessica Roth, a former federal prosecutor and Cardozo Law professor, discusses Trump's calls for prosecuting political adversaries, highlighting the ramifications for DOJ independence. Patricia Hurtado, Bloomberg's legal reporter, reveals the controversy surrounding the Luigi Mangione case, where a judge reprimanded the DOJ for its comments, impacting the fairness of the trial. They explore legal standards for vindictive prosecution and the consequences of public pressure on DOJ attorneys, emphasizing serious implications for justice and accountability.
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Public Calls Undermine DOJ Independence
- Presidents publicly urging prosecutions of political foes is highly unusual and undermines DOJ independence.
- Jessica Roth explains departments normally create a firewall between the White House and individual charging decisions.
The Protective Firewall For Charging Choices
- DOJ charging decisions traditionally proceed without direct presidential input and use White House Counsel as a buffer.
- That buffer preserves prosecutorial independence and prevents political interference in individual cases.
Prosecutor Resigned Rather Than File Weak Charges
- A career federal prosecutor in Virginia resigned after being told to bring mortgage fraud charges against Letitia James despite insufficient evidence.
- Roth says that prosecutor likely upheld professional judgment at risk of losing his job.