A man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents鈥� Association dinner pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was indicted last week on charges including attempted assassination, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts. He faces a potential life sentence if convicted of the attempted assassination charge.
One of Allen’s attorneys entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Defense attorneys are also seeking to disqualify U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche from prosecuting the case, arguing both attended the April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton and could be considered victims or witnesses, creating a potential conflict of interest.
Court filings allege Allen ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer, striking the officer once in a bullet鈥憆esistant vest. The officer fired back five times without hitting anyone. Allen was injured but not shot.
In a motion filed Thursday, attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe cited comments Pirro made at a news conference attended by Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, including her statement that 鈥渨e will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.鈥�
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump nominee. He questioned the scope of the defense’s recusal request and whether Allen’s attorneys were asking that only Pirro and Blanche be recused 鈥� or their entire offices.
In reference to the judge’s question, Ohm responded they were “likely asking” for Pirro’s whole office to be recused. Ohm said it would be unlikely the entire Justice Department could be recused.
鈥淭hat would be quite a request,鈥� McFadden said.
McFadden asked whether the defense was suggesting Pirro or Blanche had seen Allen at the dinner, adding that he’d be surprised if either of them testified at trial.
Ohm argued that if Pirro or Blanche are considered victims of the attack, it would be “wholly inappropriate” for them to prosecute the case.
McFadden asked the prosecution’s top attorney, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones, about whether Pirro or Blanche see themselves as victims. Jones said it’s too early in the investigation to make that determination.
Prosecutors have argued that if Allen had been 鈥渟uccessful,鈥� the attack could have 鈥渄estabilized the entire federal government,鈥� given the number of high鈥憆anking officials present.聽In media interviews, Pirro has said, 鈥淚 was in the line of fire here,鈥� and 鈥淚 could have been killed.鈥�
Allen鈥檚 attorneys said those comments raise 鈥済rave concerns鈥� about whether Pirro and Blanche can act as neutral prosecutors, noting both heard gunshots, ducked for cover and were evacuated before learning certain administration officials were believed to be the target.
Ohm argued that it’s possible Allen will face charges in a superseding indictment where additional members of the administration, such as the attorney general, could be listed as targets.
The motion also mentioned Pirro’s friendship with Trump, which was alluded to in court Monday, though the president’s name wasn’t mentioned outright. Blanche previously served as Trump鈥檚 personal attorney.
The defense is asking the court to disqualify those officials and consider appointing a special prosecutor.
Pirro has said her office will respond in court, adding that officials will not tolerate 鈥渁ntidemocratic acts of political violence.鈥�
Prosecutors have until May 22 to respond to the recusal request.
Allen is next scheduled to appear in court on June 29.
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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