Several high-profile Trump-era prosecutions are being dismissed or dropped
A number of notable cases launched by the Trump administration have been dismissed, dismissed or blocked by courts, including charges against a former Olympian, a protester, Letitia James and James Comey.
The Justice Department has withdrawn or seen dismissed a series of prominent cases linked to the Trump administration. Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saw the case dismissed after a filing indicated the pool liner failure was due to a flawed installation, not sabotage. Protester Christian Garcia, who threw a water bottle at officers during a 2025 immigration rally, and former DOJ employee Sean Dunn, who tossed a sandwich at a border agent, both had their charges dropped.
In separate matters, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey faced criminal charges that were later dismissed by judges who ruled the appointing U.S. attorneys were unlawfully selected. A review found that 31% of the administration’s federal cases ended in dismissal, far higher than the 8% rate for typical federal criminal matters.
Why it matters
The wave of dismissals highlights potential political misuse of federal prosecutions and raises questions about the administration's legal strategy.
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