A man accused of breaching security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with firearms and knives entered a not guilty plea on Monday. The charges against him include attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump and shooting at a Secret Service officer who intervened.
Appearing in federal court for his arraignment, Cole Tomas Allen, wearing an orange jail uniform and restraints, remained silent during the brief proceedings. His defense team requested the disqualification of two high-ranking Justice Department officials from his prosecution, citing potential conflicts of interest as the officials were present during the incident.
The defense argued that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who were at the event, should be excluded from the case due to their possible roles as witnesses or victims. The judge, a Trump appointee, deferred ruling on the matter but urged Allen’s attorneys to provide further details on the disqualification request.
The defense team hinted at the possibility of seeking the disqualification of the entire U.S. Attorney’s office, although acknowledging that such a broad request might be challenging. The judge granted prosecutors until May 22 to respond to the defense’s motion and requested clarification on whether Blanche and Pirro could be considered victims in the case.
In addition to the attempted assassination charge, Allen faces accusations of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two more firearms-related charges. If convicted of the attempted assassination, he could receive a life sentence. The attack, which occurred at the Washington Hilton on April 25, led to the early termination of the high-profile event and left a Secret Service officer injured.
Following his arrest, Allen was initially placed on suicide watch but was later removed from that status. His attorneys raised concerns about his treatment in custody, alleging unnecessary confinement conditions. FBI agents reported that Allen expressed a belief that he would not survive the attack, leading to concerns about his mental state.
Prosecutors revealed that Allen had prepared for the attack by arming himself with weapons and taking a photo of himself with the equipment just before the incident. In a message hinting at his motive, Allen referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and expressed grievances against the Trump administration.
Authorities disclosed that Allen had booked a room at the Hilton weeks before the event, bypassing the stringent security measures typically in place for such occasions. Trump, who was swiftly evacuated from the scene, later commented on the incident, suggesting that the suspect may have acted alone. He emphasized the need for heightened security for prominent figures like himself.
Allen is set to appear in court again on June 29 as the legal proceedings continue.