DOJ Paralegal Fired After Profanity-Laced Tirade Against National Guard Member

A Department of Justice paralegal has been terminated following a series of confrontational incidents involving verbal abuse directed at National Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C. The move marks the second firing of a DOJ employee in recent weeks for similar conduct, as the agency takes a hardline stance on internal behavior that it views as undermining law enforcement and national security personnel.

The dismissed employee, Elizabeth Baxter, worked in the DOJ’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division and was based at the department’s 4CON building in the NoMa neighborhood of D.C. Her termination came after a pattern of inappropriate and profane interactions with uniformed National Guard personnel, according to DOJ officials and internal security reports.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the firing late Friday, stating that Baxter’s conduct was “in direct conflict with the values and mission of the Department of Justice.”

According to surveillance footage and witness testimony, Baxter’s first incident occurred on the morning of August 18, when she reportedly told a DOJ security officer that she had just made an obscene hand gesture and shouted “F—k the National Guard” at a soldier stationed at Metro Center.

Later that same day, security footage captured her repeating the offensive gesture and shouting “F—k you!” at a different National Guard member outside the DOJ building.

One week later, on August 25, Baxter allegedly told another DOJ security guard, “I hate the National Guard,” followed by another explicit insult.

“Today, I took action to terminate a DOJ employee for inappropriate conduct toward National Guard service members in D.C.,” Bondi said in a statement. “This DOJ stands firmly behind law enforcement and our armed service members. If you disrespect them, you will not have a place in this department.”

Baxter was issued a formal termination letter Friday evening, which stated she was being immediately removed from her role as a GS-11 Paralegal Specialist in the Environmental Defense Section.

According to internal reports, Baxter also demonstrated the vulgar gesture to a DOJ security officer while laughing about the incident. A still image from security footage, obtained by The New York Post, showed her reenacting the gesture within DOJ premises.

Her firing follows another high-profile dismissal within the same federal building. Earlier this month, Sean Charles Dunn, a paralegal in the DOJ’s criminal division, was also terminated after an alleged physical altercation involving federal officers.

Dunn, 37, is accused of throwing a salami sandwich at a Border Protection officer on August 10 during a late-night incident in the U Street area of D.C. Witnesses say Dunn shouted profanities at officers and called them “fascists” before hurling his sandwich.

“You f—king fascists! Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” he reportedly shouted.

Following his arrest, Dunn was initially facing felony assault charges, but a grand jury declined to indict. He now faces a lesser misdemeanor assault charge, which could result in up to a year in jail if convicted.

“This is the type of behavior that exemplifies the internal resistance we’ve been working against since day one,” Bondi tweeted after Dunn’s termination. “We are cleaning house. No one will work in this department while disrespecting our law enforcement partners.”

Critics have labeled both incidents as part of a larger ideological rift within the DOJ, while supporters of Bondi’s actions say the department is right to demand professionalism and respect toward law enforcement.

Meanwhile, the DOJ continues to pursue major criminal cases, including the conclusion of Operation Grayskull—a major joint investigation with the FBI targeting dark web platforms used to disseminate child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The operation led to the takedown of four major online hubs and resulted in at least 18 convictions across multiple jurisdictions. Among those sentenced was 52-year-old Thomas Peter Katsampes of Eagan, Minnesota, who received over 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing and promoting CSAM.

Court documents revealed that Katsampes not only shared illegal material but also took on a moderator role within one of the platforms, instructing others on how to avoid detection and enforce platform rules.

“These offenders thought they were beyond the reach of justice—but they were wrong,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. “We have dismantled their networks and held them accountable for their crimes.”

The dual focus on internal accountability and external criminal prosecution reflects a DOJ under Bondi’s leadership that is determined to project strength—both inside and outside its own walls.