Prosecutors unfit to serve in the Trump administration are welcome in Arizona, says Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Mayes made a sweeping offer to hire those federal employees exiled under Trump’s latest personnel overhaul through the Department of Justice (DOJ). A memo issued last Friday terminated the employment of all federal prosecutors who oversaw investigations into the January 6 Capitol riot.
Mayes assured the ousted federal agents and prosecutors that they were victims of wrongful termination.
“My message to all FBI agents and federal prosecutors who are being wrongfully fired by Trump: come see me about a job. We are hiring at the AZ Attorney General’s office and we actually support law enforcement,” posted Mayes on X.
My message to all FBI agents and federal prosecutors who are being wrongfully fired by Trump: come see me about a job. We are hiring at the AZ Attorney General’s office and we actually support law enforcement. https://t.co/hGhRjusTWv
— Kris Mayes (@krismayes) February 2, 2025
The DOJ’s acting attorney general, James McHenry, issued the memo last Friday. That internal memo reportedly included an appendix with specific names of employees to be terminated immediately.
Though that list was limited in scope, another request by DOJ leadership may result in a much greater pool of applicants for Mayes.
In those same communications on Friday, DOJ leadership requested a list of all FBI employees involved in January 6 riot investigations and the case announced last year against Hamas leaders.
Acting FBI director Brian Driscoll resisted the order. Driscoll said the DOJ’s request pertains to “thousands” within his department — including the acting deputy director and himself.
That latter request wasn’t connected with an immediate directive to terminate employment, though its language indicating the administration could “determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary” reportedly caused great concern within the FBI’s rank and file.
“For each employee included in the lists, provide the current title, office to which the person is assigned, role in the investigation or prosecution, and date of last activity relating to the investigation or prosecution,” wrote acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove.
These DOJ directives came out the day after Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI director nominee, promised to not fire FBI employees for working on certain cases during his confirmation hearing last week Thursday.
“Every FBI employee will be held to the absolute same standard, and no one will be terminated for cases,” said Patel. “All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution.”
The federal employees behind January 6 investigations aren’t the only Biden administration residuals attracting Mayes’ eye.
Daniel Barr, Mayes’ chief deputy attorney general, announced last week their office’s intention to hire recent law school graduates whose job offers were rescinded under the Trump administration.
“Plenty of opportunities at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for recent law school graduates whose job offers were recently rescinded by the Department of Justice. We do vital and interesting work in protecting, and pursuing justice for, the state of Arizona and its people,” posted Barr on X.
Prior to joining Mayes in 2023, Barr was a Phoenix partner with Perkins Coie, the firm known for its longtime service to the Democratic National Committee. Barr’s previous work included pro bono partnerships with civil rights nonprofits such as the ACLU, and the launching of the Phoenix Legal Action Network (PLAN), a nonprofit to resist immigration enforcement against illegal aliens.
Dear @KrisMayes:
You and your staff must face federal charges.
18 U.S.C. § 241 (conspiracy against rights). https://t.co/QY9RVcn24j
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) February 3, 2025