The Justice Department’s top ethics attorney announced Monday that he was abruptly fired by Attorney General Pam Bondi, marking another high-profile ousting in what insiders are calling a sweeping internal purge.
Joseph Tirrell, who led the DOJ’s ethics division and directly advised Bondi and her deputy on employee conduct, revealed in a LinkedIn post that he received a termination letter Friday with no explanation. The firing was immediate, and while the letter stated he could appeal the decision, Tirrell said the move caught him off guard.
“For the past year, I’ve been responsible for overseeing ethics across the department and advising the top leadership on all matters of federal employee ethics,” Tirrell wrote. “This has been the capstone of a 25-year career in public service—from the U.S. Navy to the FBI, and finally to the DOJ.”
Tirrell had served as head of the ethics office since 2023, leading a team of 30 attorneys. His dismissal, however, comes amid mounting tensions inside the DOJ, particularly as Bondi faces scrutiny over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
According to ABC News, which first broke the story, Tirrell’s firing may be linked to his role in approving a controversial $140,000 pro bono legal gift accepted by former Special Counsel Jack Smith—who investigated President Donald Trump during the Biden administration. Tirrell had signed off on the arrangement, raising eyebrows among Trump allies now back in power.
Bondi’s office did not respond to requests for comment, but Tirrell’s ouster appears to be part of a broader shakeup. Axios reported Friday that as many as 20 DOJ staffers were fired last week alone, with a total of 37 employees on a “removal list” compiled by Bondi’s so-called “Weaponization Working Group.” The task force was reportedly formed to identify and remove individuals viewed as hostile to President Trump’s second-term agenda.
The firing comes as Bondi battles criticism from Trump’s MAGA base over the DOJ’s decision to close the Epstein case without further indictments or the release of a rumored “client list.” The backlash has intensified calls for her removal—even as the president continues to defend her publicly.
With the termination of the department’s senior ethics officer, critics warn that the DOJ is entering politically uncharted territory—where loyalty to the administration is replacing long-standing norms of legal neutrality and internal oversight.