US Attorney General Pam Bondi has dismissed a Department of Justice paralegal for making a vulgar gesture towards National Guard members deployed in Washington DC. Elizabeth Baxter, an employee in the department's environmental defence section, was fired effective immediately for 'inappropriate conduct' towards service members.
In a termination memo published by the New York Post, Bondi wrote: 'Based on your inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members, your employment with the Department of Justice is hereby terminated, and you are removed from federal service effective immediately.' The New York Post reported that Baxter raised her middle finger and uttered vulgarities at National Guard members on 18 August, and later disparaged the troops.
Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin confirmed the dismissal on social media, while another spokesperson, Gates McGarvick, added: 'Very simple: if you don't support law enforcement, @AGPamBondi's DOJ might not be a good fit.' Reuters could not immediately contact Baxter for comment.
The incident comes amid heightened federal security measures in Washington. President Donald Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard members to the city's streets this month, declaring a crime emergency and announcing a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department. The administration has also dispatched agents from multiple agencies, including the FBI, to patrol the capital.
Trump has portrayed Washington as a city plagued by crime, despite Justice Department data showing violent crime hit a 30-year low last year. The federal deployment followed a legal challenge by the city's attorney general, resulting in a deal with Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser that kept Police Chief Pamela Smith in charge of operations.
