Bar complaint filed against district judge over prior DOJ conduct

A government watchdog group filed a bar complaint Tuesday against U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, alleging dishonesty, deceit, and conduct that interfered with the administration of justice during her prior service as a senior Justice Department official.

The complaint, submitted to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals’ Office of Disciplinary Counsel by Democracy Restored, cites internal emails and participation in discussions about FACE Act prosecutions. It also references a DOJ report based on more than 700,000 internal records that examined enforcement patterns under the law protecting access to abortion clinics and houses of worship.

Background on the complaint The filing alleges Sooknanan offered thanks to personnel after an FBI raid on Pennsylvania anti-abortion activist Mark Houck and coordinated with the Southern Poverty Law Center on enforcement priorities. It further claims she avoided compiling statistics requested for congressional oversight on alleged selective enforcement.

The complaint also points to statements during Sooknanan’s 2024 Senate confirmation hearing in which she testified she was “not lead counsel” in a case handled at Jones Day. The filing states that Jones Day press releases and Supreme Court filings described her as leading the litigation team.

Recent rulings and reactions Sooknanan recently blocked implementation of a voter verification system linking Social Security records with federal citizenship data, ruling the program likely violated federal privacy laws. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) responded by renewing calls for a constitutional amendment requiring federal judges, members of Congress, and Senate-confirmed executive branch officials to be natural-born U.S. citizens.