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Maddow Blog-Justice Department dismisses case against a Trump donor, adding to credibility crisis
The DOJ says there is nothing to its decision to drop a case against a Trump campaign contributor, but has it earned the benefit of the doubt?
Justice Department dismisses case against a Trump donor, adding to credibility crisis - MSNBC
— (@oc88.bsky.social) 2025-07-31T19:43:36.211Z
apple.news/A2CfIBzy9TyS...
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/justice-department-dismisses-case-trump-donor-adding-credibility-crisi-rcna222265
In early April, Donald Trump’s White House took a highly unusual step, firing a career federal prosecutor in California because a right-wing influencer told the president he should. A former veteran of the local U.S. Attorney’s Office said it was “bizarre” and “insane” for the White House to take such a step.
Nearly four months later, Trump’s Justice Department dropped a case against restaurant group Fat Brands and its chairman, Andy Wiederhorn — which was a case the fired prosecutor was working on at the time of his ouster. NBC News reported:
.....As a matter of optics, the available facts don’t look great. Wiederhorn, for example, was a Trump campaign donor last year. This year, the White House took the highly unusual step of firing the prosecutor overseeing the case, only to have Trump’s Justice Department abandon the charges altogether soon after.....
Predictably, all of these developments have had a destabilizing effect. A separate Washington Post report, published earlier this month, noted that employees across the Justice Department and FBI have been fired without explanation or warning, “creating rampant speculation and fear within the workforce over who might be terminated next.”
Given all of this, is it that outrageous to think many will see the DOJ’s handling of the case of Fat Brands and its chairman and wonder about possible improprieties?
Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor, wrote in The New York Times this week about the Justice Department suffering a “credibility crisis” inside courtrooms and out. If administration officials expect that crisis to fade anytime soon, they should probably lower their expectations.
Nearly four months later, Trump’s Justice Department dropped a case against restaurant group Fat Brands and its chairman, Andy Wiederhorn — which was a case the fired prosecutor was working on at the time of his ouster. NBC News reported:
The government filed an unopposed motion Tuesday to dismiss a case against Wiederhorn, as well as William Amon, Rebecca Hershinger and Fat Brands Inc., which alleged a scheme to conceal $47 million paid to Wiederhorn. The government also filed a separate motion to dismiss a case in which Wiederhorn was charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition despite his previous felony convictions.
.....As a matter of optics, the available facts don’t look great. Wiederhorn, for example, was a Trump campaign donor last year. This year, the White House took the highly unusual step of firing the prosecutor overseeing the case, only to have Trump’s Justice Department abandon the charges altogether soon after.....
Predictably, all of these developments have had a destabilizing effect. A separate Washington Post report, published earlier this month, noted that employees across the Justice Department and FBI have been fired without explanation or warning, “creating rampant speculation and fear within the workforce over who might be terminated next.”
Given all of this, is it that outrageous to think many will see the DOJ’s handling of the case of Fat Brands and its chairman and wonder about possible improprieties?
Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor, wrote in The New York Times this week about the Justice Department suffering a “credibility crisis” inside courtrooms and out. If administration officials expect that crisis to fade anytime soon, they should probably lower their expectations.