Farewell Messages by Recent DOJ Alumni
On October 3, Michael Ben’Ary, Chief of the National Security Unit of the Eastern District of Virginia, scotch-taped a note on his office door after he was fired without cause. He wrote that the termination of experienced DOJ prosecutors and FBI officials “undermines our country’s ability to counter terrorist organizations, malign nation-state actors, and countless others that seek to harm our nation and its citizens.”
One week earlier, the head of that office was ousted for reportedly refusing to prosecute the President’s foes without sufficient evidence. When his successor obtained an indictment of James Comey, a senior national security prosecutor sent this message: “To uphold my oath to the Constitution and country, I hereby resign as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in the Department of Justice effective immediately.”
They joined thousands of other Department of Justice employees who have seen their work on behalf of the American people cut short by the current administration’s actions. These are some of their departing words.
Note: Some of these messages were sent to former employees’ offices, others were posted on LinkedIn, and several appeared in news outlets, including CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and Lawfare.
February 2025
Earlier today, I was served official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and my employment with the Department of Justice terminated. I have had the privilege of serving in the federal civil service for almost 28 years, including 23 as an attorney for the Department of Justice. Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career.
Pam Hicks
Chief Counsel
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Terminated
When I left the Marines as a disabled veteran . . . I was offered the chance to serve my country again as a federal employee. . . .
[I]t has been an honor to serve this department under multiple administrations led by both Republicans and Democrats, each of whom have previously treated career staff with respect and dignity. It is heartbreaking to see that basic decency come to an end. Simply put, I cannot continue to serve in such a hostile and toxic work environment, one where leadership at the highest levels makes clear we are not welcome or valued, much less trusted to do our jobs.
Joshua Stueve
Senior Communications Advisor
Office of Public Affairs
Resigned
[A]ny assistant U.S. attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way. If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.
Hagan Scotten
Assistant U.S. Attorney
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
Resigned in opposition to order to dismiss DOJ’s indictment of NYC Mayor Eric Adams
I worked with the most selfless, committed, and principled people you could ever find. They gave up financial opportunities and public acclaim to ensure the safety, security, and dignity of their fellow citizens. . . . Many spent weeks, months, or years away from their families in pursuit of justice or to protect our national security, often on a shoestring budget and nowhere near enough hands on deck. They deserve gratitude and respect, not derision.
Riane Harper
Senior Counsel, Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section
Criminal Division
Resigned
March 2025
Many rioters saw their relationship with the rule of law as transactional, as they demonstrated when they told police officers that they had “backed the blue” in the past and thus, that the officers should stand down or join the mob. . . . They expected, in other words, that the rule of law did not apply to them. And, but for the work of the Capitol Siege Section, they would have been right.
Michael Romano
Trial Attorney, Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division;
Deputy Chief, Capitol Siege Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Resigned
I have an immense feeling of pride – to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law; who will always follow the facts no matter where they lead and be unapologetic about it; who will never bend, break, falter, or quit on your integrity; who will always handle cases and evidence with an overabundance of caution and care for the innocent, the victims, and the process first; and who will always remain independent. . . .
I’ve been told many times in my life, “When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it’s best to quit digging.” Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. I’ll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire.
James Dennehy
Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Forced to retire
[This] was, and remains, deeply important work that remains nearly invisible to the public. . . .
I will not, however, serve this current incarnation of the Department. It defines “justice” in a way that I do not recognize.
But please remember that the vast majority of DOJ attorneys are people of good will who are trying to maintain a true sense of justice. What’s more, they’re doing it while being subjected to unimaginably stressful circumstances, if not outright cruelty. Whether these people are your friends, your family members, or even your adversaries, please—even if silently—take a moment to thank them for their continued service.
Carrie A. Syme
Trial Attorney, New York Office
Antitrust Division
Resigned
On Jan. 23, I received notice from the Acting Attorney General that I was about to be involuntarily reassigned to the new Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group within DOJ.
. . . In all, more than 15 senior career officials were reassigned to this working group. We do not know why we were reassigned; we all have theories, and the reasons probably differ for each of us. All told, this purge drained various DOJ components of institutional knowledge, experience, and ability that definitely is needed in this moment. . . .
My management team had worked well with the Division front office during [Trump administration] 1.0; we thought we could do the same during 2.0. . . .
After serving for a little over a month in the new working group with a superstar collection of colleagues, it became clear that it was time for me to go.
Bonnie Robin-Vergeer
Chief, Appellate Section
Civil Rights Division
Involuntarily reassigned; later resigned
April 2025
I can’t with a clean conscience defend actions by our clients that I cannot square with even the most tortured reading of the U.S. Code and Constitution, or basic principles of fairness and humanity. . . .
Please take care. What was done to Erez [Reuveni] is wrong. He was presented with an impossible situation, and merely told the truth, acted reasonably, and did his best to avoid an adverse order against the government. That is our job description, full stop. . . firing him was a warning and act of intimidation against us all. It signaled that we will no longer be able to do our jobs professionally and ethically if doing so is perceived to conflict with full-throated support of a partisan agenda.
I know I am preaching to the choir―because, indeed, you taught me this by your example―when I say that central to our service here are our duties to uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States, to act with candor towards the Court, and to try to accomplish substantial justice for the people and institutions of the United States. . . . I sincerely hope that honoring and fulfilling these duties doesn’t cause anyone else here to be unjustly fired.
Joseph Darrow
Trial Attorney, Office of Immigration Litigation
Civil Division
Resigned
Dear Deputy Attorney General Blanche,
The Department placed each of us on administrative leave ostensibly to review our, and the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office’s, handling of the Adams case. It is now clear that one of the preconditions you have placed on our returning to the Office is that we must express regret and admit some wrongdoing by the Office in connection with the refusal to move to dismiss the case. We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none.
We have served under Presidents of both parties, advancing their priorities while pursuing justice without fear or favor. The role of a career prosecutor is not to set policy. But a prosecutor must abide by the oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and the rules of professional ethics set by the bar and the courts. . . . Now, the Department has decided that obedience supersedes all else, requiring us to abdicate our legal and ethical obligations in favor of directions from Washington. That is wrong.
Serving in the Southern District of New York has been an honor. There is no greater privilege than to work for an institution whose mandate is to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons. We will not abandon this principle to keep our jobs. We resign.
Celia Cohen
Andrew Rohrbach
Derek Wikstrom
Assistant U.S. Attorneys
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
Resigned
Access to Justice is integral to the health of our country and the ability of people from all walks of life to thrive. It is a testament that the Department of Justice has staff dedicated full-time to closing the justice gap, and our country is stronger because of it.
David Steib
Senior Counsel, Office for Access to Justice
Resigned
An employee in the Civil Rights Division should never be asked to take an action that actively causes harm to any vulnerable individual or group – full stop.
Brian McEntire
Senior Trial Attorney, Employment Litigation Section
Civil Rights Division
Retired
It was the greatest privilege of my professional career to play even a small role in prosecuting criminals who helped plan for and participated in the [January 6] riot. And the public record of that work—in evidence, judgments, and verdicts rendered by judges and juries—cannot be undone.
Anthony Mariano
Trial Attorney, Washington Criminal Section, Antitrust Division;
Capitol Siege Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Resigned
To those outside of the federal government, I want to express the serious and potentially irreversible damage being done to our institutions right now.
People who have served all administrations faithfully have been left to fear arbitrary firings or reassignments, new guidelines implemented with no warning and no guidance on how to comply, a lack of concern for ethics, and policies designed to make employees quit.
Throughout our government, the damage is just starting. It will accelerate as more and more workers find these stressful and demeaning conditions untenable, and we will continue to lose institutional knowledge, talented individuals, and simple manpower to serve the American people.
Please find opportunities to speak out and defend the services that Americans rely upon.
Devon Flanagan
Senior Trial Attorney, Wildlife and Marine Resources Section
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Resigned
May 2025
To those who partnered with me on the January 6 investigation and prosecution: you represent the highest ideals of our nation—unwavering in your commitment to the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power. To the officers who were injured, physically and emotionally, protecting the greatest legislative body in the world: thank you. You are the embodiment of heroism.
Greg Rosen
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Chief, Capitol Siege Section
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Resigned
[W]e must use the authority we have carefully, we must ensure the coercive power of the state that we exert is judiciously exercised, or we risk creating an even greater injustice that will be magnified over time as the force the government is entrusted with is put to illegitimate ends. I have felt that weight of that authority; I have doubted whether I have exercised it appropriately. I am sure each of you has felt that weight as well.
Tim Mygatt
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Resigned
The first case I helped try on behalf of the United States held a historic monopolist accountable for rigging technology underpinning the “open, vibrant internet” that’s “indispensable to American life.” The second case I helped litigate aims to “restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets,” comprising “millions of pounds of chicken, pork, and turkey—staples of many Americans’ diets.”
It’s hard to adequately articulate the profound honor that attends litigating cases like these to ensure the American citizenry can participate freely in American markets. . . . Our markets are the envy of the world in large part because—not in spite—of our storied antitrust tradition, that practice of divining the elusive line separating ruthless but meritorious competition from coercive business conduct that harms us all. . . .
[E]very American must speak up and take action so that we can continue living in the greatest, most prosperous democratic society ever known.
Chase Pritchett
Trial Attorney, Anti-Monopoly and Collusion Enforcement Section
Antitrust Division
Resigned
For me, a DOJ lawyer’s commitment to the rule of law is also a commitment to the institutions established, guided, and empowered by those laws to make decisions and take action for the public interest. . . .
I fear the consequences of a political moment intent on cutting the machinery of government loose from the fundamental ethos that has shaped me over the last eight-and-a-half years, especially when set against a delicate jurisprudential moment, when many long-settled principles of administrative law are newly unsettled.
Sarah Buckley
Senior Counsel for Appellate Matters, Environmental Defense Section
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Resigned
[I]f you know someone who is (or recently was) a federal government employee, right now they might need you to be a helper for them—to remind them that you value them and their work. If you know someone who wants to be a federal government employee, this is also a good time to remind them that public service is still valued and valuable.
Eric Dunn
Assistant Chief, Competition Policy and Advocacy Section
Antitrust Division
Resigned
I have always half-joked, half-believed that I was what some would call a DEIA hire—either to avoid a lawsuit because the lift at Main Justice was broken when I showed up for the most important interview of my life (some things never change!), or to meet the Department’s targeted disability hiring goals, or maybe both. And if I was, I have no shame. I hope that my body of work since then has shown that we all can benefit when you open doors (sometimes literally) for qualified people who may otherwise have been overlooked or undervalued. . . .
And just in case you need a reminder, I’m here to tell you that our work matters. The life I’ve built would not be possible without the ADA, the Rehab Act, the Fair Housing Act, and IDEA. I know there are people across this country whose lives are better because of you, because of us, and because of what we’ve all done together. And I know the laws within the Division’s portfolio are just words without people like you to enforce them, guard them, and fight for them.
Joy Welan
Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section
Civil Rights Division
Resigned
I witnessed firsthand the critical importance of supporting survivors and strengthening our nation’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Throughout my career, through changing administrations, evolving legal landscapes, and countless initiatives, I had the privilege of working alongside exceptional colleagues who shared an unwavering dedication to justice and protecting those most vulnerable.
Sybil Barksdale
Executive Officer
Office on Violence Against Women
Retired
We were entrusted with the serious responsibility of engaging the power of the federal government to use the rule of law to vindicate the rights of marginalized people. . . .
I am still processing the contrast between those 25 years and the last four months.
Meredith Burrell
Principal Deputy Chief, Employment Litigation Section
Civil Rights Division
Retired
June 2025
From the spent nuclear fuel cases to Too Big to Fail, to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, to the 2020 census and the challenge to the consideration of race at the Naval Academy, I have been incredibly fortunate to have been entrusted with . . . some of the most important issues facing the federal government.
As I reflect on my two decades at DOJ, I can say unequivocally that there is no greater privilege than working for the only federal agency with a virtue in its name.
Josh Gardner
Special Counsel, Federal Programs Branch
Civil Division
Resigned
During the last five months, I have watched as the FBI has changed its focus and its priorities. I was directed to lead projects that made me extremely uncomfortable. . . . I was told I could not say no.
If I learned anything in the FBI, it is that yes, you can say no. If something is wrong, unjust, or unethical, you speak up, and sometimes speaking up means saying “no.” But with a no, there also comes a “yes.” Yes, I will always uphold my oath. Yes, I will always do the right thing. Yes, I will always ask the important questions.
Jill K. Fields
Supervisory Intelligence Analyst
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Resigned
Before its dissolution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division helped make New Jersey fairer, safer, more inclusive, and more equitable. . . . [W]e achieved many lasting, impactful results to prevent systemic discrimination, combat sexual harassment, protect religious liberty, hold law enforcement agencies accountable, ensure equal educational opportunities for students, end barriers to accessibility for people with disabilities, obtain consent decrees to reform unconstitutional practices in prisons, jails, and long-term care facilities, protect the rights of U.S. military servicemembers and veterans, and protect the right to vote.
Michael Campion
Chief, Civil Rights Division
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey
Resigned
Through it all – weeks-long trials, sensitive national security investigations, responses to acts of mass violence, prosecutions of terrorists, spies, hackers, those who hurt kids, and more – these dedicated public servants have always strived to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons.
Julia Martinez
Chief, Cybercrime and National Security Section
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado
Resigned
It’s particularly concerning to me, as someone who dedicated his professional career to combating the Chinese Communist Party and all of its tentacles, to see resources and efforts diverted away from hostile foreign intelligence services and other serious threats to the homeland to focus on minor immigration status offenses. These changes should discomfit any citizen who cares about his or her nation; even now that I no longer walk into a field office every morning, these trends still vex me.
Michael Feinberg
Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Norfolk Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Forced to Resign
I was proud to work with some of the best prosecutors, paralegals, and legal assistants in this office and later, around the country, to hold hundreds of defendants accountable for despicable and illegal acts against our brothers and sisters in uniform . . . these officers upheld their oath to protect and serve our community and nation. They entered the arena and were assaulted. Later, they were re-victimized. Called crisis actors, vilified, threatened . . . I am so proud of each case in which we were able to achieve justice for them. . . .
[T]he people in this office do not keep quiet. You pursue justice. You enter the arena. Win or lose. From now on, although I can no longer join you, I’ll be on the sidelines cheering you on.
Andrew Floyd
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Deputy Chief, Capitol Siege Section
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Terminated
July 2025
Until Friday evening, I was the senior ethics attorney at the Department of Justice responsible for advising the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General directly on federal employee ethics. . . .
I took the oath at 18 as a Midshipman to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” I have taken that oath at least five more times since then. That oath did not come with the caveat that I need only support the Constitution when it is easy or convenient. . . . I [] believe that Edmund Burke is right and that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”
Joseph Tirrell
Director
Departmental Ethics Office
Terminated
Yesterday, around 4 pm, my computer was shut down just before I was handed a letter signed by the Attorney General . . . citing Article II of the Constitution as the justification for my sudden, indefensible removal from federal service after nearly 20 years. . . .
[T]he people in charge who are supposed to protect us – our fellow Americans who we elected, along with those who were appointed, and swore an OATH to protect this nation and our Constitution – now use the Constitution as a weapon to suit their own ends.
Patty Hartman
Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Terminated
How lucky I’ve been to be guided by nothing more than the genuine desire to do the right thing for the right reason each and every day.
I’ve served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. I’ve been promoted four times in the last five years by both – including four months ago by this administration. Politics never impacted my work at the Department. Priorities change, of course, and resources are shifted, but the work and the mission were steady.
Desiree Grace
First Assistant U.S. Attorney
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey
Terminated
If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. . . . Do not let that happen.
Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else.
Maurene Comey
Assistant U.S. Attorney
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
Terminated
August 2025
I never planned to join the mass exodus of career employees from the [Civil Rights] Division. My departure, like that of my many former colleagues, isn’t due to a “deep-state” refusal to work with this administration or a poor work ethic. It is the inevitable result of hollow leadership that disregards longstanding interpretations of civil rights law, upends Division and Departmental norms, and values perceived loyalty above the meritocratic principles it claims to espouse. It is leadership based on a fundamental lack of kindness and reliance on a lazy playbook with just three tactics: divide, erase, and insult.
Barbara Schwabauer
Trial Attorney, Appellate Section
Civil Rights Division
Resigned
When I started the week, I didn’t know Friday would be my last day in the FBI. . . .
I have long believed in the metaphor of God as the all-knowing gardener, who prunes us and shapes us from time to time because He knows what He wants us to become.
And so I look forward to seeing what comes next as I explore opportunities outside of government service. To all those who have helped ‘prune’ me along the way, I offer my heartfelt thanks for your friendship and mentorship.
Spencer Evans
Special Agent in Charge, Las Vegas Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Terminated
September 2025
On Friday, September 5. . . I was terminated from my position without any stated cause. . . .
Replacing career judges with less experienced or politically malleable ones reflects a systemic effort to reshape the bench with individuals more likely to deny cases without regard for due process. Removal proceedings demand qualified judges who understand both the law and the stakes. Wrong denials can carry devastating consequences: family separation, deportation to danger, and violations of core constitutional rights.
Anam Rahman Petit
Immigration Judge
Executive Office of Immigration Review
Terminated
Throughout this experience, I have witnessed the very real consequences of ignoring the rule of law. The actions we took against those who sought to undermine the peaceful transfer of power were not just about securing justice for a single day or a single group of people; they were about protecting the integrity of our entire system of governance. The law is what binds us together as a nation, and each of us has a role in ensuring that it remains steadfast and unwavering, no matter the challenges we face.
Andrew Tessman
Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia;
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Capitol Siege Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Resigned
