The Legal Accountability Center filed a bar complaint Tuesday against Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The watchdog group alleges Pirro violated professional conduct rules by attempting to indict six Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video discussing the right of military members to refuse illegal orders.
The complaint follows a recent grand jury decision not to bring charges against the lawmakers, all of whom have military or intelligence backgrounds. In the video, the lawmakers stated, "Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders." The Legal Accountability Center argues that Pirro's pursuit of the case was legally and factually unsupported by probable cause.
In the filing to the New York court system’s Grievance Committee, the watchdog group claimed Pirro’s directive to seek indictments was "unwarranted" and served to "harass or maliciously injure" the lawmakers. Tim Lauer, a spokesman for Pirro, called the complaint frivolous, stating that the grand jury—not the prosecutor—is responsible for deciding whether to indict.
On a broader scale, the complaint addresses the use of the legal system against political figures. The six lawmakers targeted by the failed indictment include individuals with military and intelligence experience who could have faced charges under a law forbidding "interference with the loyalty, morale or discipline of the U.S. Armed Forces." Had a grand jury moved forward, the lawmakers could have faced trials for speech they and the watchdog group contend is protected by the First Amendment. The Legal Accountability Center argues that prosecuting such speech sets a precedent that could chill future communication between elected officials and service members.
What happens next depends on the New York Grievance Committee, which has been asked to investigate whether Pirro engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. The source does not provide a specific date or deadline for the committee's decision or the potential disciplinary hearings. Additional complaints against the two lower-level prosecutors remain pending in New York and Virginia courts. While the grand jury has already declined to indict the lawmakers, the bar complaint focuses on whether the initial attempt to charge them violated ethical standards for government attorneys.