Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
California
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
The Department of Justice in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein / Associated Press)
By Brittny Mejia, James Queally, Matt Hamilton and Matthew Ormseth
March 29, 2025 6:24 PM PT
A federal prosecutor in Los Angeles was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in Washington to drop all charges against him, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Adam Schleifer was terminated Friday morning, receiving an email informing him that the dismissal was “on behalf of President Donald J. Trump,” according to two of the sources, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from federal officials. Joseph T. McNally, the acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California who is Schleifer’s boss, was not involved in the decision, the sources said.
Carley Palmer, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles who is now a partner at Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP, said Schleifer was fired via a “one line e-mail, and it came from a White House staff account.” … A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles declined to comment. Schleifer declined a request to be interviewed. The White House and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to inquiries.
The sources who spoke to The Times suspected the firing was motivated, in part, by a case Schleifer was assigned involving Andrew Wiederhorn, former chief executive of the company that owns fast-food chains Fatburger and Johnny Rockets.
{snip}
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
The Department of Justice in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein / Associated Press)
By Brittny Mejia, James Queally, Matt Hamilton and Matthew Ormseth
March 29, 2025 6:24 PM PT
A federal prosecutor in Los Angeles was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in Washington to drop all charges against him, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Adam Schleifer was terminated Friday morning, receiving an email informing him that the dismissal was “on behalf of President Donald J. Trump,” according to two of the sources, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from federal officials. Joseph T. McNally, the acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California who is Schleifer’s boss, was not involved in the decision, the sources said.
Carley Palmer, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles who is now a partner at Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP, said Schleifer was fired via a “one line e-mail, and it came from a White House staff account.” … A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles declined to comment. Schleifer declined a request to be interviewed. The White House and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to inquiries.
The sources who spoke to The Times suspected the firing was motivated, in part, by a case Schleifer was assigned involving Andrew Wiederhorn, former chief executive of the company that owns fast-food chains Fatburger and Johnny Rockets.
{snip}
Hat tip, Ken White
Domestic Enemy Hat
@kenwhite.bsky.social
Follow
I know Adam Schleifer, the AUSA fired. He’s what you’d want a federal prosecutor to be: smart, competent, tough, ethical. He did a very fair and ethical thing towards one of my clients that not every AUSA would have done. If he was prosecuting a case I suspect it was a righteous case.
March 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM
@kenwhite.bsky.social
Follow
I know Adam Schleifer, the AUSA fired. He’s what you’d want a federal prosecutor to be: smart, competent, tough, ethical. He did a very fair and ethical thing towards one of my clients that not every AUSA would have done. If he was prosecuting a case I suspect it was a righteous case.
March 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM
https://bsky.app/profile/kenwhite.bsky.social/post/3llkqnz2bss2w
Matt Pearce
@mattdpearce.com
Follow
Sources: White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-29/los-angeles-federal-prosecutor-fired
Sources: White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case
Adam Schleifer, a longtime financial fraud prosecutor, was dismissed from the U.S. Attorney's office in L.A. on Friday. He was pursuing charges against the former CEO of Fatburger, a Trump supporter, ...
www.latimes.com
March 29, 2025 at 9:33 PM
@mattdpearce.com
Follow
Sources: White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-29/los-angeles-federal-prosecutor-fired
Sources: White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case
Adam Schleifer, a longtime financial fraud prosecutor, was dismissed from the U.S. Attorney's office in L.A. on Friday. He was pursuing charges against the former CEO of Fatburger, a Trump supporter, ...
www.latimes.com
March 29, 2025 at 9:33 PM
https://bsky.app/profile/mattdpearce.com/post/3llkp7vxog22q
rosa dentata
@baymama.bsky.social
Follow
If Trump is directly firing prosecutors now this is very, very bad.
March 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
@baymama.bsky.social
Follow
If Trump is directly firing prosecutors now this is very, very bad.
March 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
https://bsky.app/profile/baymama.bsky.social/post/3llkqaguhbk2e
https://bsky.app/profile/schadhayes.bsky.social/post/3llkxrgqxtk2o
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
