Sunita Doddamani, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan, filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department on Monday alleging unlawful termination. Doddamani claims she was fired earlier this year in retaliation for her work on a 2023 prosecution involving the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which she argues was driven by political motives.
The lawsuit names Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon as defendants, among others. Doddamani was one of at least three career prosecutors dismissed in April. Her termination occurred one day before the Justice Department released a 900-page report alleging that the department under the previous administration had improperly targeted anti-abortion activists. The Justice Department stated on social media that it had terminated personnel responsible for "weaponizing the FACE Act."
According to the legal filing, Doddamani was escorted from her office and lost access to her government communications on the day she was fired. While U.S. Attorney Gorgon reportedly told staff the terminations were for "misconduct," the lawsuit claims he also stated he had no prior knowledge of the reasons for the dismissals. Doddamani’s legal team argues the firing violates the Civil Service Reform Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, as well as the First and Fifth Amendments.
The outcome of this litigation may affect how the Justice Department handles internal personnel actions and the degree to which career prosecutors can be held accountable for following past administrative priorities. The current administration has already shifted policy regarding the FACE Act, with the Justice Department dismissing several cases and pausing new investigations related to anti-abortion activists. Conversely, the department has allowed cases against abortion rights activists to proceed, including one that resulted in a 120-day prison sentence for a Florida defendant in March 2025.
The lawsuit specifically criticizes a Department of Justice report produced by the "Weaponization Working Group," an initiative started by former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Doddamani's lawyers contend the report improperly released internal communications and mischaracterized defendants as "peaceful" when they had been involved in blockades or threats. A trial date has not been set, and the Justice Department has declined to comment on the litigation beyond its previous public statements. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.