Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Rare special grand jury convened after Trump-Pirro clash
A special grand jury is being put together in Washington, D.C., by the US Justice Department.
A grand jury is a group of 23 people who decide if there is enough evidence to think someone might have broken the law.
A lawyer named Steven Vandervelden, a close friend of the top prosecutor Jeanine Pirro, will help lead this jury.
Right now, nobody knows exactly what the jury will be looking into.
The timing stands out because it comes just two weeks after Pirro dropped charges against a former Olympian accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The president, Donald Trump, was very upset about that decision and even suggested Pirro might lose her job.
This special kind of jury has an extra power: even without enough evidence for charges, it can write a report saying it believes someone did something wrong.
Anyone named in such a report gets a chance to testify and bring witnesses to defend themselves.
Some people are wondering whether the jury might investigate cases from Pirro's office that have caused a lot of controversy.
But until the Justice Department says more, the jury's real purpose remains a mystery.
The US Justice Department has convened a rare special grand jury in Washington, D.C., whose purpose has not been disclosed.
Steven Vandervelden, a close ally of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, is set to oversee the panel, according to The Washington Post.
The move comes under two weeks after Pirro infuriated President Donald Trump by dismissing vandalism charges against a former Olympian.
Special grand juries can issue a report naming individuals on a preponderance of evidence even when no criminal charges are brought.
Pirro's office has failed to successfully prosecute cases involving a Subway sandwich toss, six Democratic lawmakers, and Jerome H. Powell.
- Who
- US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, her close ally Steven Vandervelden, and President Donald Trump; the panel was convened by the US Justice Department.
- What
- A rare special grand jury with an undisclosed purpose has been convened, fueling speculation it could investigate controversial cases from Pirro's office.
- When
- Just under two weeks after Pirro dismissed vandalism charges and following Trump's suggestion that her job could be in jeopardy.
- Where
- Washington, D.C., at the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
- Why
- The purpose is undisclosed, but speculation suggests it could examine the most controversial cases handled by Pirro's office.
Scrutiny over timing
No assigned case
Grand jury's purpose
Scrutiny over timing
The formation is raising eyebrows because the panel, overseen by one of Pirro's closest allies, could potentially investigate some of the most controversial cases handled by her office.
No assigned case
The grand jury's mandate remains unknown, special grand juries are typically used for government-official, conspiracy and organized-crime investigations, and there is no indication it has been assigned to any particular case.
Trump-Pirro clash over Reflecting Pool case
Scrutiny over timing
Trump, infuriated by the dismissal of vandalism charges, suggested Pirro's job could be in jeopardy, pressuring her office to deliver on cases he has publicly demanded be prosecuted.
No assigned case
Pirro's office dismissed the charges and also failed to successfully prosecute other high-profile cases, indicating the outcomes reflect prosecutors' judgments about evidence rather than political demands.
- Grand jury size
- 23 members
- Indictment standard
- Simple majority must find probable cause
- Special power
- Can issue a report naming individuals even without criminal charges
- Report evidence standard
- Preponderance of evidence
- Reported by
- The Washington Post, citing three government officials
- Trigger
- Pirro's dismissal of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism charges angering Trump
- Failed prosecutions under Pirro
- Subway sandwich incident, six Democratic lawmakers' video, and Jerome H. Powell case