WHCA Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen targets DOJ in explosive bid to shake up case

Attorneys for the antheral accused of attempting to termination President Donald Trump connected April 25 during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner astatine the Washington Hilton edifice slammed U.S. Attorney for District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro portion demanding she recuse herself from the case.

The nine-page question to disqualify, filed connected Thursday, argues that Pirro, on with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and different unnamed DOJ officials, person a struggle of involvement that should barroom them from information successful prosecuting Cole Allen. It further says that the full U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, which is presently prosecuting the case, should beryllium disqualified.

Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is accused of attempting to tempest the ballroom wherever the meal was taking spot portion equipped with a rifle, handgun, knives and a ample quantity of ammunition. Video surveillance from wrong the Washington Hilton shows a idiosyncratic identified arsenic Allen allegedly moving towards a information checkpoint with a 12 gauge shotgun, discharging the limb once, and falling to the ground.

Prosecutors accidental that a pellet from the buckshot discharged by Allen struck the ballistic vest of a Secret Service agent, leaving him with insignificant injuries. A Secret Service cause fired 5 rounds astatine Allen, but did not deed him.

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Cole Allen is seen equipped successful a edifice room. (Department of Justice)

Both Pirro and Blanche were wrong the ballroom during the incident, which national nationalist defenders utilized arsenic partial justification to accidental they are conflicted successful the case. They besides cited Pirro's idiosyncratic relationship with Trump.

Allen's attorneys besides cited Pirro's media appearances and societal media posts aft the alleged onslaught arsenic a crushed for disqualification, including an X station from earlier this week.

A sketch shows Cole Allen lasting successful tribunal earlier Magistrate Judge Dana Verkouteren connected May 4, 2026. (Dana Verkouteren)

Amid contention implicit Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui apologizing to Allen for his jailhouse conditions, Pirro posted connected the societal media level that Allen was receiving preferential treatment.

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"Welcome to Washington, DC, wherever U.S. Magistrate Judge Faruqui believes a suspect equipped to the teeth and attempting to assassinate the president is entitled to preferential attraction successful his confinement compared to each different defendant," she said.

Allen's lawyers pounced connected that post, declaring that it was an "emotional response… was inflammatory, inappropriate, and inaccurate..."

Cole Allen allegedly ran past Secret Service agents successful an effort to assassinate President Donald Trump. (US Attorney Pirro)

The question besides argues that adjacent if Pirro, Blanche and different unnamed officials bash not person a struggle of interest, determination is an quality of a struggle of interest. Allen's attorneys accidental that by law, the quality itself is capable to person them disqualified.

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"As this lawsuit proceeds person to trial, the state and the satellite volition proceed to wonder—how tin the American justness strategy licence a unfortunate to prosecute a transgression suspect successful a lawsuit involving them?" the question asks. "Or even—how tin 1 of the victim’s closest friends prosecute the alleged perpetrator of the offense? Given U.S. Attorney Pirro’s relationship with the President and her and Acting A.G. Blanche’s attendance astatine the lawsuit astatine the halfway of this prosecution, the instrumentality necessitates their disqualification."

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks during a quality league connected March 13, 2026. (Pool/Fox News)

"For these reasons, and immoderate different specified reasons arsenic the Court whitethorn find astatine a proceeding connected this motion, Mr. Allen respectfully requests the Court workout its inherent authorization and disqualify purported victims and witnesses successful this case—to see U.S. Attorney Pirro and Acting A.G. Blanche—from nonstop engagement successful the probe and prosecution of Mr. Allen," the question concluded.

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Allen is scheduled to beryllium arraigned Monday morning, May 11.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Pirro's office, the DOJ and Allen's attorneys.