WASHINGTON (AP) — A man accused of attacking the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 25, 2026, is attempting to disqualify key officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) from his case due to potential conflicts of interest. Cole Tomas Allen, who alleges that he ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer during the event, argues that the involvement of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, both of whom were present at the dinner, raises concerns about impartiality in the prosecution.
In a court filing submitted late Thursday, Allen's attorneys contended that the presence of Blanche and Pirro as possible victims or witnesses in the shooting incident creates an appearance of a conflict of interest. The defense attorneys, Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe, emphasized that “as this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?”
Ohm and Abe, who serve as assistant federal public defenders, argued for the appointment of a special prosecutor to ensure fairness in the legal process. They have urged U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a judicial appointee of former President Donald Trump, to disqualify Pirro, Blanche, and potentially other DOJ officials from their roles in the ongoing investigation and prosecution of Allen.
The incident unfolded when Blanche and Pirro were reportedly forced to duck for cover and were later evacuated shortly after gunshots rang out at the Washington Hilton, the venue for the dinner. After the event, they were informed that the intended targets of the attack may have included certain administration officials, complicating their ability to participate in the prosecution, according to the defense.
Pirro has stated that her office will formally respond to the defense motion. “We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” she said in a statement.
Allen is set to be arraigned on Monday following his indictment by a grand jury in Washington, D.C. The charges he faces include the attempted assassination of former President Trump, who has a long-standing friendship with Pirro. Notably, Blanche had worked as a personal attorney for Trump before joining the DOJ in 2025.
In addition to the assassination charge, Allen is also facing accusations of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two counts related to firearms. If convicted of the attempted assassination charge alone, he could be sentenced to life in prison. During the attack, the Secret Service officer involved was struck once in a bullet-resistant vest and returned fire five times, though no one was hit. Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, sustained injuries in the incident but was not shot.
The unfolding legal battle reflects ongoing tensions within the American justice system concerning perceived conflicts of interest and the prosecution of individuals involved in violent acts against public officials. This case will likely draw significant attention as it progresses through the judicial system.
