DOJ lawyers flee to blue state rather than be Trump's 'fool or a coward': Dem AG

Department of Justice lawyers ditching the Trump administration to work in a blue state took parting shots, according to a Democratic Attorney General.

During an appearance on the Legal AF podcast, Colorado AG Phil Weiser, who's running for governor in his state, detailed the "brain drain" at the DOJ as lawyers flee, with one prosecutor named Hagan Scotten telling his superiors that only "a fool or a coward" would work for Trump.

"Trump might find someone to do his bidding, but it was either going to be a fool or a coward, and it was never going to be me," Weiser said, quoting Scotten. "The people, like Mr. Scotten, who had integrity, they're leaving. They're often not being replaced."

Weiser said that the Colorado AG's office has already hired "over 22 people and counting from the federal government who want to stay in public service but can't be a part of an administration that is so lawless."

Weiser said, "We're hiring people from Main Justice, and we're hiring from Washington agencies, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who basically have concluded, 'I can't do this anymore. I'm leaving.' And they look to Colorado."

Legal AF host Michael Popok brought up DOJ prosecutor Danielle Sassoon, a "shining star" from the Southern District of New York. Sassoon quit with an eight-page letter rather than follow orders to drop an indictment against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, gave the orders, Popok noted.

"She was, by the way, Republican, an Orthodox Jewish woman that was destined to be the U.S. attorney in that office," Popok explained. "She left. She said, 'Dismiss the indictment?' as she was ordered to do by Emil Bove. 'Dismiss the indictment?' I'm ready to come get permission to bring a superseding indictment for more charges,' and then quit with an eight-page letter, which detailed everything."