A federal magistrate judge, Zia Faruqui, sharply rebuked the Justice Department under U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, accusing it of overcharging cases and trampling defendants’ rights amid President Trump’s intensified law enforcement surge in D.C. The judge lambasted the office for filing felony charges that repeatedly failed before grand juries and then languished—describing the office as having “no credibility left” and likening its tactics to “playing cops and robbers like children.”

This criticism emerged amid a growing pattern: at least seven felony prosecutions tied to the crackdown were rejected by grand juries, including cases involving alleged threats against the president and minor physical incidents, such as one high-profile case involving a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent.

Magistrate Judge Faruqui warned these practices threaten the rule of law and undermine public trust. He urged prosecutors to commit to reforms and called for live officer testimony post-arrest to ensure accountability in charging decisions.