U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi fired a Department of Justice paralegal, Elizabeth Baxter, after she allegedly made obscene gestures (raising her middle finger) and verbally insulted National Guard members deployed in Washington, D.C. The incidents reportedly occurred on August 18, when Baxter allegedly flipped off a guardsman near the Metro Center and later admitted it to a DOJ security guard. Surveillance footage and witness statements support repeated instances of disrespectful conduct.

Bondi justified the dismissal by emphasizing that DOJ will not tolerate disrespect toward law enforcement. In her termination memo, she stated that Baxter’s “inappropriate conduct toward National Guard service members” warranted immediate removal from federal service. Baxter’s role was with the Environmental Defense Section of DOJ.

This is part of a broader pattern: earlier that month, Bondi also removed Sean Charles Dunn, another DOJ employee, after he reportedly threw a sandwich at a Customs and Border agent and used profane language. Dunn faced misdemeanor charges following the episode. The firings reflect a stricter stance on internal conduct, particularly regarding expressions of disrespect toward law enforcement personnel.