Former federal prosecutor is suing DOJ for 'unlawful and retaliatory' firing

The U.S. Department of Justice Building on Aug.17, in Washington, D.C. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

A federal prosecutor who was fired earlier this year is suing the Justice Department, alleging that she was unlawfully dismissed for political reasons tied to her work prosecuting a case against anti-abortion activists.

The lawsuit filed by Sunita Doddamani, who worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan, is the latest to be lodged by a former career Justice Department employee alleging they lost their jobs for improper political reasons.

In Doddamani's case, the complaint says her firing was "politically motivated and retaliatory," and that it violated the Civil Service Reform Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the First and Fifth Amendments.

Doddamani was dismissed on April 13, the lawsuit says, without any advance notice, due process or cause given.

The "unstated reason," according to the complaint, was her work prosecuting eight anti-abortion activists with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act, which prohibits intentionally interfering with reproductive health care services, including abortions.

At least two other prosecutors who worked FACE Act cases also lost their jobs the same day, and the Justice Department publicly announced it had "terminated the employment of personnel responsible for weaponizing the FACE Act who still remained at the department," the lawsuit says.

A day later, the department released a report that accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the FACE Act against anti-abortion activists.