Bondi fires DOJ employee for flipping off National Guard in DC federal takeover
The article reports that attorney General Pam Bondi has fired Elizabeth Baxter, a Justice Department paralegal specialist, for making offensive gestures, specifically flipping off National Guard troops stationed in Washington, D.C. This federal troop deployment was part of President Donald trump’s takeover of the city aimed at reducing crime. Baxter’s dismissal follows a similar recent firing of another DOJ employee, Sean Dunn, who was charged with misdemeanor assault after confronting federal agents aggressively.
DOJ spokesman Gates McGavick supported the termination, stating that employees who do not support law enforcement may not be suited for the department. Baxter was recorded on multiple occasions making obscene gestures and shouting profanities at the National Guard. Bondi’s memo cited “inappropriate conduct” as the reason for her immediate firing.
The article also mentions controversy surrounding Trump’s federalization of law enforcement in D.C., with critics labeling it an authoritarian overreach, while supporters, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, credit the increased federal presence for a important drop in crime, particularly a major reduction in carjackings.
Bondi fires DOJ employee for flipping off National Guard in DC federal takeover
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday fired a Justice Department employee for protesting against federal troops stationed in Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Baxter was removed from her position as a paralegal specialist in the department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division after she flipped off National Guard patrolling D.C. amid President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the city to combat crime.
DOJ spokesman Gates McGavick praised the termination on Friday, writing in a post on X, “if you don’t support law enforcement, [Attorney General Pam Bondi’s] DOJ might not be a good fit.”
The announcement marks the second time in weeks Bondi has ousted a DOJ employee accused of demonstrating against the federalization of the country’s capital. Earlier this month, paralegal Sean Dunn was fired from the department and slapped with a misdemeanor charge after being video recorded yelling obscenities at federal agents and throwing a Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer.
Baxter worked in the same building as Dunn, according to the New York Post. On three separate occasions during the month of August, she was recorded on DOJ security cameras flipping off National Guard troops or recounting the incident, as well as shouting “f*** you” at the troops, per the outlet.
A memo signed by Bondi on Friday said Baxter was fired “effective immediately” for “inappropriate conduct.”
Trump’s D.C. takeover has stirred controversy due to concerns that his actions constitute an authoritarian abuse of presidential powers.
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Others have defended the policy as necessary to combat crime in the country’s capital, with D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser expressing thanks to Trump earlier this week for sending troops to assist the district’s understaffed police force.
“The most significant thing that we are highlighting today is the area of crime that was most troubling for us in 2023,” she said, noting that since the surge of federal officers, carjackings fell by 87% compared to the same period last year. “We know that when carjackings go down, when the use of gun goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer. So this surge has been important to us.”
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