Sheri H. Mecklenburg, lead prosecutor in the Broadview Six case, resigned from the Justice Department “under protest,” alleging U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros pushed felony charges over her objection. The DOJ denies her claims.
In her resignation letter, obtained by The New York Times, Mecklenburg said she was threatened with firing if she spoke up and blamed for a felony prosecution that she said Boutros directed despite her view that misdemeanor charges were more appropriate. She also said the office announced an investigation into her conduct spanning 20 years.
The six protesters, including then-congressional candidate Kat Abugazaleh, faced felony conspiracy charges carrying a maximum six-year prison sentence for blocking an ICE vehicle. A federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice in April after it was found that Boutros had been in contact with members of the grand jury.
