Lawyers Defending American Democracy files ethics complaint against Jeanine Pirro

The complaint highlights abuse of power, indictments for political views, prosecuting without evidence, and frequent failures to find probable cause.

On July 21, 2026, Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD) filed an ethics complaint against Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, with the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

The complaint alleges ethical violations committed by Ms. Pirro in her individual capacity and as a manager and supervisor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for DC in seven high-profile criminal cases:

• The prosecution of six sitting members of Congress for making a video reminding members of the military that they have a constitutional duty to refuse to obey illegal orders.

• The criminal investigation of Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve Board, in connection with the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s buildings.

• Four prosecutions involving a federal law enforcement surge in DC that followed the President’s declaration of a “crime emergency” in DC. One of these cases involved a charge of felonious assault after the defendant tossed a Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer; when the grand jury refused to indict, Ms. Pirro then sought misdemeanor charges.

• Prosecution of a former Olympic rower in connection with touching a piece of the new liner that had detached from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool in DC.

The ethics complaint states that Ms. Pirro’s conduct in these cases requires investigation and appropriate discipline under the New York Rules of Professional Conduct noting the special responsibilities of prosecutors, the allegations of managerial and supervisory misconduct, and the harm caused to the administration of justice. In addition, Ms. Pirro violated the New York Rules of Professional Conduct by making improper public statements regarding the subject of a criminal investigation, the defendant in a prosecution, and judges.

“A prosecutor’s primary duty is to seek justice under the law. Baseless prosecutions abuse our judicial system and ruin lives. That’s why it’s so important to hold prosecutors accountable for their ethical violations,” said Ellen Hornstein, an LDAD volunteer and a principal author of the complaint.

Scott Harshbarger, the chair of LDAD’s board and a former two-term Attorney General noted, “Ms. Pirro’s public statements regarding people her office is criminally investigating or prosecuting should be investigated. Prejudicial statements that prejudge guilt undermine the public’s confidence in the integrity of the justice system.”

Read the full complaint from Lawyers Defending American Democracy.