A federal judge has denied a bid by the man accused of attempting to assassinate then-President Donald Trump to dismiss Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro from the case. The decision marks a significant moment in the prosecution’s proceedings against Cole Tomas Allen.
On Sunday, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden delivered an 18-page ruling rejecting Allen’s request. The case in question arises from a frightening episode at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25, where Allen allegedly launched his attack.
Prosecutors state that Allen targeted the event at the Washington Hilton with the intent to kill President Trump. His plan involved breaching a Secret Service checkpoint armed with a shotgun. In his attempt, he injured a Secret Service officer but was thwarted before reaching the ballroom, teeming with President Trump, Cabinet officials, and other high-profile figures.
Allen sought Blanche and Pirro’s disqualification based on their attendance at the dinner. Furthermore, he cited their public remarks following the incident, emphasizing Pirro’s alleged bias due to her longstanding friendship with Trump as a point for removal.
Despite these arguments, Judge McFadden was unconvinced by Allen’s motion to remove Blanche and Pirro from their prosecuting roles, thereby maintaining the team poised to proceed with what promises to be a closely watched legal battle.
The judge rejected Allen’s contention that merely being present at the event transformed Blanche and Pirro into legal “victims” of the alleged crimes. The actual victims, he explained, were President Trump and the wounded Secret Service officer — not everyone who happened to be attending the dinner that evening.
Nor did the court see any issue with either official speaking publicly on the matter afterward. Prosecutors, McFadden noted, aren’t expected to be neutral observers. They are expected to vigorously prosecute criminal cases. The Constitution guarantees an impartial judge and jury — not prosecutors who are personally indifferent to whether a defendant is guilty.