Defense attorneys build mapping tool to track Justice Dept. "weaponization"

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has launched an interactive tracking tool on February 22, 2026, across the United States to monitor controversial prosecutions by the Justice Department, responding to growing complaints that the Trump administration is weaponizing the department against political critics. The online mapping tool, supported pro bono by attorneys and legal professionals, tracks unusual or unsuccessful attempted prosecutions by the Justice Department during the first year of Trump's second term, including cases where grand juries rejected attempts to obtain indictments against administration critics, Democratic officials, or protesters. The interactive database provides a state-by-state visual breakdown of tracked cases and emerging enforcement trends, allowing attorneys to search by alleged conduct, court, outcome, and other case features. The tool includes notable cases such as the 'sandwich thrower' case, where a Washington, D.C. grand jury rejected an attempt to criminally indict a man who tossed a sandwich at a federal agent in 2025. Another tracked case involves the Justice Department's 'weaponized forum shopping' attempts to secure an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James by convening grand juries in three different Virginia cities. 'What has been happening is so unusual and different that I felt that it needed to be brought to the public's attention,' said Steven Salky, a D.C. attorney overseeing the project. NACDL President Andrew Birrell emphasized, 'The Bill of Rights wasn't written to be a polite suggestion; it was written to be a shield against tyranny,' adding that jurors are increasingly rejecting the notion that criminal law can be used for political retribution. The tracker aims to provide access to key filings and judicial rulings to support advocacy against what the group describes as 'novel, expansive, and aggressive theories' of prosecution. A Justice Department spokesperson responded by stating, 'We respect the judicial process and jurors' role as impartial arbiters of evidence — regardless of what the results may be — and will not be deterred or distracted from keeping the American people safe.' As of the tool's launch, the database contained 11 prosecutions where the Justice Department failed to secure an indictment, including a controversial attempt to prosecute six Democratic members of Congress. Former Justice Department prosecutor Brendan Ballou noted, 'The fact that this tracker needs to exist speaks to the imploding credibility of the Department of Justice,' while national security attorney Mark Zaid observed that the tool reveals 'the rebellion by grand juries across the country against the Trump administration's political weaponization' of the department.