Cole Allen, the California man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner last month, pleaded not guilty Monday to four federal charges in a Washington, D.C., courtroom.
Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden on charges of attempting to assassinate the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines, and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said additional charges remain possible.
Allen is accused of opening fire inside the Washington Hilton on April 25 during the annual correspondents’ dinner, one of the most high-profile events on the Washington social calendar. Secret Service agents returned fire and detained him at the scene. Pirro has said a Secret Service officer was shot point-blank before agents took Allen down.
Now his defense team is swinging at the prosecutors themselves.
Allen’s public defender, Eugene Ohm, told Judge McFadden on Monday that the defense intends to seek the removal of Pirro and her entire office from the case. In a court filing submitted Friday, defense attorneys argued that Pirro faces a “conflict of interest” because she was present at the Washington Hilton when shots were fired and was herself a potential victim.
The defense also wants Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche off the case. Blanche was also in the ballroom when Allen allegedly opened fire.
“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder: how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” the defense filing states. “Or even: how can one of the victim’s closest friends prosecute the alleged perpetrator of the offense? Given U.S. Attorney Pirro’s friendship with the President and her and Acting A.G. Blanche’s attendance at the event at the center of this prosecution, the law necessitates their disqualification.”
Ohm told the judge the defense would likely ask for Pirro’s entire office to recuse itself. He said it was unlikely, however, that the defense would seek to remove the entire Department of Justice over the Blanche conflict claim.
“That would be quite a request,” the judge said.
Allen is next scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on June 29 at 10:30 a.m.
