Attorney General Pam Bondi fires DOJ staffer for alleged obscene gesture toward National Guard members

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Aug. 30, 2025, 12:19 AM EDT


Attorney General Pam Bondi fired a Justice Department employee on Friday accused of flipping off National Guard members deployed to Washington D.C. as part of President Donald Trump's effort to mitigate crime in the city, a Justice Department official confirmed.

According to a memo sent by Bondi, the veracity of which was confirmed by the DOJ, the employee, Elizabeth Baxter, worked as a paralegal specialist in the department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. The New York Post was first to report Baxter’s termination.

“Based on your inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members, your employment with the Department of Justice is hereby terminated, and you are removed from federal service effective immediately,” Bondi wrote in the memo, as confirmed by the Justice Department.

A Justice Department official told NBC News that Baxter was seen and heard using the vulgar gesture and shouting to Guard members on multiple occasions. The incidents allegedly occurred several times during the last two weeks, though NBC News has not independently confirmed the accusations.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-pam-bondi-fires-doj-staffer-alleged-obscene-gesture-n-rcna228160

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Violation of the First Amendment. Feds (civil servants vs appointees) don't lose their First Amendment rights when they are on their own time.

They need to stop watching old re-runs of "The Apprentice" and start actually cracking open a law book that contains the text of the various statutes related to the Civil Service and Hatch Acts.

[travelingthrulife]

1. All these control freaks know how to do is fire people.

Terrible leadership.

[Marthe48]

2. Free speech?

Are eye rolls the next thing to be punished with termination? Did bondi say something like, "Don't flip off the guard where I can see it, missy?"

[GB_RN]

15. Definitely Sounds Like...

An illegal, retaliatory termination. I see a lawsuit coming.

That being said, the whole plan is to do shit that results in lawsuits - which will take forever to resolve - a fact which they are gambling on: Just like Caligula has done his whole life, they can drag shit out so long that their victims have to give up their legal fight due to lack of money.

[twodogsbarking]

3. I support freedom to flip. I'm flipping Pam right now.

[Gore1FL]

4. That sounds like a lawsuit. nt

[dlilafae]

5. The working world has no

shortage of Pam Bondi like managers. That's too bad that one more American has to hit the streets looking for a job. Cutting down freedom of expression, much? 🖕 Pam Bondi!

[ruet]

11. The difference is that most of the working world isn't working for the US federal government.

This is a clear 1st Amendment violation. As an aside I believe the protections should extend to private employment but...

[cabotnn22]

6. Depends on the contract the woman signed upon employment

If there is a type of ethics clause or objectional conduct clause in her contract, her firing could be legal. Does she have the right to flip off a member of the National Guard? Yes. Does the employer have a right to terminate her employment based on her conduct, IF an objectional conduct clause or similar clause is in her contract? Also yes.

If there is no such clause, then she should appeal her termination. As she's a federal employee, I'm going to assume she's in a union. She should talk to her steward.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. That "paralegal specialist" is generally a federal civil service position

not a contractor. For example, this is a job notice for one in CA for DOJ - https://www.usajobs.gov/job/844693200

[riversedge]

14. I hope she is able to sue.

[SunSeeker]

7. I hope she sues the shit out of DOJ for violsting her 1st Amendment rights. nt

[quaint]

8. Hey Bondi, only one of these is for you.

✌

[70sEraVet]

9. I don't guess we will hear FOX hosts screaming about 'Cancel Culture' on this one!

[DBoon]

10. Does she have a gofundmen?

If not, one should be set up.

People like Elizabeth should be made heroes of the resistance, martyrs in the service of democracy.

[Nigrum Cattus]

12. Free speech 100%