A newly released set of FBI emails, obtained by the Senate Judiciary Committee, has shed light on what appears to be yet another troubling attempt by government officials to target President Donald Trump with additional criminal charges.
The emails, from 2023, reveal communication between FBI agents, federal prosecutors, and officials within President Joe Biden’s administration, discussing possible ways to pursue more charges against Donald Trump in connection with the events of January 6, 2021.
In this instance, the focus of their effort centered on a song recorded by a group of January 6 defendants. Known as the “J6 Prisoner Choir,” the group collaborated on a fundraising track titled “Justice for All,” which included Trump’s recorded reading of the Pledge of Allegiance. The song was intended to raise funds for the families of those jailed over January 6-related charges.
One of the released emails shows DOJ prosecutor JP Cooney urging colleagues to explore Trump’s connection to the project. “Can we do some work to nail down Trump’s role in this,” Cooney wrote in a March 8, 2023 email with the subject line “J6 Prisoner Choir/DJT,” which included a link to a media article speculating about Trump’s involvement. Cooney also suggested looking into the LLC that managed the song’s profits.
FBI agent Walter Giardina responded that he was already working on the matter and would compile findings. According to whistleblower accounts, Giardina had previously expressed a willingness to investigate Trump, even if it required stretching the limits of proper investigative procedures — raising serious concerns about abuse of power.
Critics argue that this focus on Trump’s involvement with a song fundraiser — rather than genuine national security threats — reflects how some federal law enforcement efforts had become politicized during this period. The targeting of Trump for what many view as protected political speech and activity strikes at the heart of concerns about fairness and impartiality in the justice system.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley condemned the officials involved, stating:
“Instead of focusing on DOJ and FBI’s core law enforcement responsibilities, partisan prosecutors and agents were surfing the web to find any shred of information they could use to spin another baseless case against Trump. Their actions are a disservice to Americans, who pay their salaries and depend on DOJ and FBI to keep them safe.”
Beyond being a disservice, many believe these actions represent a dangerous precedent — where government officials appear willing to use their authority to try to weaken or remove a political rival. Such efforts raise serious legal and ethical questions that demand accountability. At a minimum, Americans deserve confidence that their justice system is not being used as a political weapon.
