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Senators Padilla, Schiff join Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats demanding answers in removal of DOJ, FBI officials

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (KION) -- Two California senators, along with other Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, are demanding answers on major changes within the Trump administration.

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) as part of the committee seeking answers from the Trump administration over the removal and reassignment of officials from the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Committee states that the administration had reportedly purged dozens of DOJ and FBI officials who were a part of prosecuting those involved in the January 6th Capitol riots. This comes after President Donald Trump pardoned those involved in the riot that day.

"As America faces a heightened threat landscape, these shocking removals and reassignments deprive DOJ and the FBI of experienced, senior leadership and decades of experience fighting violent crime, espionage, and terrorism,” the Committee stated in a press release.

The Committee continued stating, "We can only assume these decisions are intended to prevent the Department from investigating national security and public corruption, while also serving as political retribution against the President’s perceived enemies and stoking fear among the dedicated and talented workforce in our nation’s premier law enforcement agency.”

Senior prosecutors of the DOJ were reportedly sent memos from Acting General James McHenry stating, "Given your significant role in prosecuting the President, I do not believe that the leadership of the Department can trust you to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully."

FBI personnel were reportedly asked to complete a survey by Monday afternoon asking for their job titles if they worked a case related to the Capitol riot, and if they interviewed witnesses among other questions.

Other Senators on the committed include U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

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Sergio Berrueta

Sergio Berrueta has been in the news for quite awhile going from studying print media to entering the realm of broadcast.

Originally from Bell Gardens, California, in Southeast Los Angeles. Berrueta started his professional news career in Eureka as a newscast producer for North Coast News (now The Northstate’s News) at KAEF ABC 23 in 2022. He pivoted a year later in 2022 going from behind-the-scenes to in front of the camera as a multimedia journalist for Redwood News Channel 3 (KIEM/KVIQ) also in Eureka.

Berrueta studied journalism at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) earning his Bachelor’s Degree. Berrueta was a staff writer, page editor, social media manager and editor-in-chief of the university’s El Lenador, the only bilingual publication in all of Humboldt County.

Before moving to the North Coast, Berrueta had earned his Associate’s Degree at East Los Angeles College in 2019 after beginning his educational journey in 2012. He also was on staff for the ELAC’s publication, ELAC Campus News, having been a staff writer, page editor, and online editor.

Outside of news experience, Berrueta has also been in education as an AmeriCorps tutor in East Hollywood from 2017 to 2019 and served in a government role as a National Hometown Fellow for Lead for America with the City of Arcata in 2021.

When not focusing on news, Berrueta is an avid amateur cinephile having written about films in free time. He also writes poetry, attempting to get through a backlog of video games, enjoys visiting new places along the California Coast, and trying to keep up with the latest music and podcasts.

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