In brief
Michael Ben'Ary, the chief of the national security unit at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, was terminated shortly after right-wing commentator Julie Kelly criticized his role in the Biden administration. His dismissal is part of a broader series of firings that have unsettled the Justice Department, with political influence seeming to taint traditional practices of continuity for rank-and-file prosecutors. The Justice Department is now under scrutiny for the potential erosion of civil service protections for its employees.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has fired a top national security prosecutor amid growing criticism from a right-wing commentator regarding his past role during the Biden administration. This move has added to the ongoing turmoil within the prominent U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, following a series of recent firings of senior attorneys.Michael Ben'Ary, who held the position of chief within the national security unit, was dismissed on Wednesday. His termination came shortly after Julie Kelly, a conservative writer, expressed concerns online about his previous work for Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco during the Biden administration. Despite speculation from Kelly about Ben’Ary's involvement in resistance against the prosecution of FBI Director James Comey, insiders indicated that he was not part of that case.His dismissal follows the recent firing of Maya Song, another prosecutor in the same office, who was the top deputy to a former U.S. Attorney, Erik Siebert, removed under pressure from the current administration. Siebert had been urged to pursue charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James in a mortgage fraud investigation.These dismissals have highlighted a wave of terminations affecting the Justice Department, prompting fears about the political influence infringing on an agency traditionally characterized by its independence and civil service protections for employees. While U.S. Attorneys typically change with a new presidential administration, many prosecutors have historically remained across administrations.Under the Trump administration, numerous lawyers involved in significant investigations, including those related to the U.S. Capitol riot and other political cases, were dismissed. Ben'Ary, who served nearly two decades in the Justice Department, was notably prosecuting cases including those related to a suicide bombing that occurred at Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of American service members and many Afghan civilians.Additionally, Song's firing occurred shortly after the Trump administration appointed Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide and Trump’s lawyer, as the new U.S. Attorney, further complicating the political landscape within the Justice Department. Halligan promptly moved to secure an indictment against Comey, which has intensified ongoing debates surrounding the department's integrity and appointments.
