DePodesta sues Boutros over hidden meetings

A lawsuit filed Monday by Douglas DePodesta, the former FBI Special Agent in Charge for Chicago, directly contradicts a statement made by U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros’ office regarding the Broadview Six case. In March, Boutros’ team told U.S. District Judge April Perry that there were no communications with anyone outside the office, other than local FBI investigators, about investigative or charging decisions. The prosecutors explicitly stated this included officials in the White House and the Justice Department headquarters in Washington.

DePodesta’s attorneys allege that Boutros met in his office on Oct. 7, 2025, with then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald. The lawsuit claims that during this gathering, Boutros discussed the Broadview Six investigation with his superiors. Prosecutors first sought an indictment two days after that meeting. They secured the indictment on Oct. 23, 2025, after a grand jury had initially rejected the charges.

The lawsuit names Boutros, Patel, Blanche, the FBI, and the Justice Department as defendants. DePodesta alleges that Boutros falsely blamed him for the collapse of the case and that his campaign led to DePodesta’s forced retirement. This legal action opens a new front in the scandal, which has already drawn in Stanley Woodward, the associate attorney general. Woodward asked Judge Perry on Friday to clarify whether her request for records was a directive. He also warned that the United States had not agreed to provide any information.

The Broadview Six case stemmed from a September 2025 protest outside an immigration holding facility in Broadview. Prosecutors alleged a crowd pushed and damaged a federal agent’s SUV. Six people were charged with conspiracy to impede the agent. The group included Kat Abughazaleh, a former congressional candidate; Brian Straw, an Oak Park village trustee; Catherine Sharp, a former Cook County Board candidate; Michael Rabbitt, a 45th Ward Democratic committeeperson; Joselyn Walsh, a musician; and Andre Martin, a campaign worker. Most of the defendants were involved in local Democratic politics.

DePodesta’s lawsuit notes that persons close to the Trump administration called for the criminal prosecution of the protesters, particularly Abughazaleh, who was running for the U.S. House at the time. Abughazaleh placed second in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 9th District House seat, which was won by Daniel Biss. Boutros’ team previously dismissed claims of selective prosecution as the product of fevered paranoia and delusional speculation.

The case collapsed on May 21 after Judge Perry discovered apparent misconduct by prosecutors before the grand jury. During an Oct. 1 hearing, Perry told Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Whalen that she had been told there was no outside communication. She noted that the office’s argument had changed significantly since that claim. Neither Boutros nor a spokesperson commented on the lawsuit Monday.

The suit challenges the integrity of the initial indictment process. It forces the court to examine the timeline between the October meeting and the pursuit of charges. The defense attorneys continue to press for information about the administration’s role in the case.