WASHINGTON – The man accused of trying to break into the White House correspondents’ dinner is seeking to prevent top Department of Justice officials from directly participating in his trial, arguing they could be seen as victims or witnesses, creating a potential conflict of interest.
PUBLISHED HIER À 14:59
The interim Attorney General Todd Blanche and federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro were attending the event on April 25 at the Washington Hilton when Cole Tomas Allen allegedly breached a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent.
In a court filing on Thursday evening, Allen’s lawyers argued that Mr. Blanche and Ms. Pirro making decisions about the prosecution in this case creates at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.
“As this case moves closer to trial, the nation and the world will continue to ask: how can the American justice system allow a victim to prosecute a defendant in a case involving the victim?” wrote defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe.
The two lawyers suggested that appointing a special prosecutor could be justified. They urged federal judge Trevor McFadden, appointed by Trump and overseeing the case, to recuse Ms. Pirro, Mr. Blanche, and potentially other DOJ officials from the investigation and prosecution.
“Both heard gunshots, which likely forced them to take cover under the tables with other occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Soon after, they learned that law enforcement believed certain administration officials were the target,” the lawyers argued.
Ms. Pirro stated her office would respond to the defense lawyers’ arguments in her own legal filing.
“We will not tolerate individuals coming to the District of Columbia to engage in undemocratic acts of political violence, and we will pursue all such acts with the full force of the law,” Ms. Pirro said in a statement.
Allen is set to appear in court on Monday to answer charges brought by a grand jury in Washington.
IMAGE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
This image, included in a legal document filed by the Department of Justice on April 29, 2026, shows Cole Tomas Allen in his hotel room on April 25, 2026, in Washington, using his cell phone to take a selfie in the mirror.
The charges against Allen include the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, a longtime friend of Ms. Pirro. Mr. Blanche was Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer before joining the DOJ last year.
Through a spokesperson, Mr. Blanche referred all requests for comment to Ms. Pirro’s office.
Allen is also accused of assaulting a federal police officer with a deadly weapon and faces two additional firearm-related charges. He could face a life sentence if convicted of the attempted assassination charge alone.
The Secret Service agent, who was hit in his bulletproof vest, fired five times with his weapon but did not hit anyone. Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was injured but not shot.
