Joseph Tirrell, senior ethics attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has been removed from his post. This decision was controversial in and of itself, and served to raise serious questions about the motives behind his firing. The notice of dismissal for Tirrell was signed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. She did not publicly state a reason for the termination, leading to speculation over why and when it happened and what it may portend.
Tirrell’s firing occurs after his leading the department through severe ethical controversy. He recently approved pro-bono legal services from a private law firm to special counsel Jack Smith on the case. Tirrell affirmed that this course of action was undoubtedly allowed per the department’s ethics regulations. He accepted the endorsement at a time when he was preparing to exit his public service job. This timing makes the reason for his firing even more suspect.
In the days immediately before his dismissal, Tirrell was laying the groundwork for a new DOJ strategy. He sought to leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in pro-bono work from private law firms. That project was based on settlements reached with the Trump administration, and the intent is to harness private legal might for the public good.
As a result of her wrongful termination from the DOJ Tirrell is now suing the DOJ. He had previously provided advice on various ethical matters, including whether Attorney General Bondi could accept commemorative challenge coins and gifts from subordinates. Another gift was a box of cigars delivered by international MMA superstar Conor McGregor. This gift exceeded the maximum value permitted under department ethics regulations.
“We’ve pretty much said you can’t accept gifts from employees unless it’s your birthday or Christmas or Hanukkah or a similar kind of holiday where people give gifts.” – Joseph Tirrell
He led debate over the acceptance of a ceremonial scarf and a 2025 World Cup soccer ball from FIFA. Both items would have raised serious questions under the department’s ethical standards. In response, Tirrell claimed that there was a rigid set of regulations limiting the acceptance of gifts and any violations could lead to severe penalties.
Just two days after Pam Bondi was caught at a Tampa Bay game with former President Donald Trump, Tirrell was informed about his dismissal. This sighting fueled even more speculation that there was a link between her actions and Tirrell’s firing. Tirrell noted that officials are more concerned than ever about optics. They are equally troubled by the lack of a clear standard on accepting gifts.
“There seemed to be a lot of importance by these officials placed on [the] appearance of them getting stuff.” – Joseph Tirrell
Prior to this role, Tirrell had established a career as an ethics advocate and defender of honest government service. This has been his dream ever since he wanted to work for the U.S. government at 15 years old. He views his position as critical to ensuring that the DOJ acts ethically.
As he steered through dense ethical conundrums, Tirrell was frequently asked what the right thing to do would be. He described instances when officials didn’t shy away from questioning possible ethical violations.
“We got some questions like: ‘What if we’re doing this, and what if we’re doing that?’ And the answers were: ‘Probably not, no, you can’t go, you can’t do this’,” – Joseph Tirrell
Tirrell raised concerns regarding the incentive for private attorneys to join government. He continued to stress that they have to get waivers from each client about their past cases before making the switch.
“The only way that those attorneys would have been able to come over is if their law firms had gotten a waiver from every client at the firm permitting that attorney to work for the government on every single matter that that attorney was involved in.” – Joseph Tirrell
He stressed that these ethical guidelines should serve as a first-line safeguard. They are not just hurdles, but gatekeepers that uphold integrity within the legal system.
“I said to him: ‘These are not obstacles. These are safety guidelines, these are safety rails. And you can’t remove them.’” – Joseph Tirrell
Tirrell’s dismissal raises troubling questions about the future of ethics at the DOJ. He asked whether other officials would have the same fate for maintaining high ethical standards. He contends that his firing is intended as a message to others within the department.
“I think the reason to fire the senior ethics attorney at DoJ is pretty clear. It’s to send a message,” – Joseph Tirrell
As this situation develops, the effects of Tirrell’s firing will likely echo across government ethics conversations. His lawsuit against the DOJ might bring it. This has the potential to reshape the enforcement and interpretation of ethical codes by those with the power to do so.