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January 31, 2025

2 entries on this date.

Trump removed FEC Chair Weintraub without cause, asserting presidential removal power the agency's statute does not grant

On January 31, 2025, President Trump sent a letter to Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub declaring she was "hereby removed," effective immediately. Trump cited no cause and offered no statutory basis; the letter was transmitted via email on February 6, 2025, and Weintraub's FEC system access was revoked on February 7. No president had previously attempted to remove a sitting FEC commissioner without cause or a Senate-confirmed replacement in place.

Acting DAG Bove ordered firing of Jan. 6 prosecutors and review of thousands of FBI agents who worked Capitol riot cases

On January 31, 2025, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove issued a memo directing Acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. Edward Martin to immediately terminate 20–40 line prosecutors who had worked January 6 Capitol riot cases and been converted from temporary to permanent status. Bove separately ordered FBI Acting Director Brian Driscoll to compile a list of all current and former FBI employees who had worked the January 6 investigation "at any time" — a directive Driscoll acknowledged could encompass thousands — and ordered eight senior FBI executive assistant directors terminated by February 3. Acting Attorney General James McHenry issued a parallel memo stating the prosecutors had "hindered" DOJ's ability to implement Trump's agenda.