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Whistleblower Jon Gross Speaks Out on DOJ Weaponization and Calls for Outside Leadership in Exclusive Interview


News provided by

#WalkAway

May 18, 2026, 07:00 ET

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Former DOJ attorney details January 6 prosecutions, internal resistance to reform, and COVID‑era cases in conversation with #WalkAway founder Brandon Straka

NEW YORK, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A former Department of Justice attorney is alleging that the federal justice system has been politicized and weaponized against certain Americans, saying that meaningful reform is impossible without bold outside leadership. Jon Gross, who represented more than 20 January 6 defendants before joining the DOJ, gives a detailed account of prosecutions he believes were politically motivated, internal resistance to reform, and his conclusion that the department cannot police itself.

For years, millions of Americans believed the Department of Justice and FBI had been weaponized against political opponents — and that a second Trump administration would finally expose it, clean it up, and restore equal justice under the law.
For years, millions of Americans believed the Department of Justice and FBI had been weaponized against political opponents — and that a second Trump administration would finally expose it, clean it up, and restore equal justice under the law.

Gross's account is laid out in a long-form exclusive interview released this week titled "Betrayal of the Base," where he sits down with #WalkAway founder Brandon Straka. The conversation covers January 6 prosecutions, disparities between those cases and other political protests, treatment of defendants in Washington, D.C., courts, COVID‑era prosecutions, and what Gross describes as a "sham" de‑weaponization working group inside the Justice Department. He argues that the department's current leadership and "revolving door" culture have insulated it from real accountability.

Gross says his concerns grew as he saw felony charges under obstruction statutes levied against January 6 defendants while similar charges were not pursued for other protest-related violence. "The disparity reflected a politically motivated double standard," Gross claims in the interview. He also recounts his time inside the DOJ after the 2024 election, where he attempted to raise cases involving alleged misuse of federal power. According to Gross, his internal efforts were stonewalled by leadership, and any efforts to address weaponization lacked the staffing, budget, and institutional will to investigate misconduct meaningfully.

Throughout the discussion, Gross draws a direct link between the department's handling of pandemic-era cases, January 6 prosecutions, and a broader culture of selective enforcement. He argues that many Americans have lost faith in the justice system because they believe it protects certain groups and punishes others. Gross calls for what he terms a "Great Emancipation," urging the next administration to appoint an outsider as attorney general who can conduct a sweeping review of prosecutions and agency actions he believes were politically driven.

Straka, who founded the #WalkAway Campaign to encourage Americans to reject political intimidation and think independently, says he released the interview to give a platform to voices who feel abandoned by government institutions that promise to serve them. "This conversation is about the Americans whose lives were upended, whose families were devastated, and whose trust in the justice system was shattered," Straka said. "Jon Gross brings a perspective that every American should hear."

The full interview is available through Brandon Straka's official platforms.

Watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oimWLxkUQ0g

About Jon Gross

Jon Gross is a former civil rights attorney and rabbi who represented dozens of January 6 defendants before joining the Department of Justice. He left the DOJ and is now speaking publicly about what he describes as the politicization and weaponization of the justice system.

About #WalkAway and Brandon Straka

Brandon Straka is the founder of the #WalkAway Campaign, a national grassroots movement launched to encourage Americans to think independently, reject political intimidation, and share their personal stories of walking away from radical ideology, censorship, and systems that silence dissent. Straka is a political commentator, speaker, and media personality whose work focuses on free speech, political realignment, government accountability, and the experiences of Americans who feel abandoned by legacy institutions.

Media Contact

#WalkAway Campaign
[email protected]
www.walkawaycampaign.com

SOURCE #WalkAway

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