A fired federal prosecutor who pursued politically motivated cases against President Trump now seeks to leverage his role in that witch hunt to win a congressional seat in Virginia, raising concerns about the politicization of justice being rewarded at the ballot box.
From Prosecutor to Political Candidate
J.P. Cooney announced his Democrat congressional run, transforming his firing from the Department of Justice into a campaign credential. Cooney served as a veteran prosecutor in the public corruption division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington and worked as the top deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith.
The New York Times reports that Cooney is positioning himself as “the only Democrat who actually prosecuted the president,” turning his participation in what many conservatives view as politically motivated persecution into his primary qualification for office. His candidacy demonstrates how the left rewards partisan actors who weaponize federal law enforcement against conservative leaders.
Trump’s Necessary DOJ Housecleaning
President Trump fired Cooney in January 2025 as part of a comprehensive overhaul of the Department of Justice that removed prosecutors tied to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations. This purge addressed years of concerns among conservatives about the politicization of federal law enforcement under the previous administration.
Smith’s team had indicted Trump twice in what many viewed as election interference disguised as prosecution. The personnel changes extended beyond Cooney, including the removal of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert and prosecutor Robert McBride. These firings represented a necessary correction after federal prosecutors selectively pursued Trump while declining to pursue cases involving actual corruption by figures like James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Pattern of Selective Prosecution Exposed
The circumstances surrounding these DOJ firings reveal a disturbing pattern of selective prosecution that conservatives have long warned about. Erik Siebert was forced out after refusing to charge Letitia James despite evidence of potential mortgage fraud, even as she pursued dubious civil cases against Trump. Prosecutor Robert McBride was similarly dismissed for declining cases against both Comey and James. Trump confirmed Siebert’s firing on social media, stating, “He didn’t quit, I fired him!” after the prosecutor attempted to frame his departure as voluntary. While critics like attorney Abbe Lowell claimed these actions represented “illegal retribution,” the evidence suggests Trump was removing prosecutors who applied the law selectively based on political allegiance rather than facts.
Implications for Justice and Elections
Cooney’s congressional candidacy raises fundamental questions about accountability and the rule of law. Democrats are actively recruiting individuals who participated in the weaponization of federal law enforcement, signaling they view partisan prosecution as a qualification rather than a disqualification for public office. This development threatens to erode public trust in the justice system further and to normalize the politicization of prosecutorial power. Virginia voters in competitive districts will now decide whether to reward someone who used his position to pursue politically motivated cases. The situation underscores President Trump’s wisdom in cleaning house at the DOJ, as these personnel decisions have exposed the depth of partisan bias within federal law enforcement. The appointment of replacements like Maggie Cleary in the Eastern District of Virginia signals a return to prosecutorial independence and equal application of the law.
Sources:
Fired Trump Prosecutor to Run for Congress – Political Wire
US attorney plans to resign amid pressure from Trump – ABC News
Trump DOJ fires prosecutor who declined James Comey, Letitia James cases – NOTUS