SHABBAT UNDER ATTACK: Inside the Anti-Semitic Rant That Blew Up the Minnesota U.S. Attorney's Office
Behind the scenes of a crumbling DOJ: A secret Jan. 12 conference call reveals the derogatory mocks that led to the resignation of 6 federal prosecutors and a direct intervention from the White House.
Gregory Bovino, who served as the commander of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, mocked a Shabbat-observant Jewish prosecutor, stating that "the Chosen People’s criminals don't take time off."
According to The New York Times, the incident occurred two weeks before his replacement, amid the resignation of six federal prosecutors protesting the Justice Department's handling of a fatal shooting case in Minneapolis.
Gregory Bovino, a figure closely identified with the administration’s enforcement policies, made the anti-Semitic remarks toward a Jewish federal prosecutor during a work call. According to reports, the exchange took place on January 12 during a conference call with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota.
During the call, Bovino referenced the fact that the prosecutor, Daniel Rosen, is an Orthodox Jew who observes Shabbat and therefore could not be reached over the weekend. According to witnesses, Bovino used the term "Chosen People" mockingly and wondered aloud if Rosen realized that "Orthodox Jewish criminals don't take days off on weekends." The comments were made as Bovino complained about the prosecutor's lack of availability due to his religious observance.
The day after the call, six veteran federal prosecutors announced their resignations. While the official reason for the mass departure was a protest against how the Department of Justice handled the killing of a civilian in Minneapolis by security forces, the exposure of Bovino’s remarks sheds new light on the toxic environment that led to his removal.
Two weeks after the incident, President Trump announced Bovino’s transfer and his replacement by Tom Homan. Bovino returned to his previous role as a sector chief in El Centro, California, while Homan was appointed to report directly to the President, a move that bypassed the standard reporting hierarchy within the Department of Homeland Security. Prosecutor Daniel Rosen has declined to comment on the publication.