Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County, appeared Thursday for a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee amid an escalating dispute with congressional Republicans over her handling of a prosecution decision involving an activist. The deposition followed a subpoena issued by committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) after Dehghani-Tafti initially resisted testifying without public scrutiny.
The legal controversy stems from Dehghani-Tafti’s decision earlier this year not to pursue charges against Barbara Wien, a retired peace studies professor and activist who distributed flyers containing sensitive information about Stephen Miller, then White House deputy chief of staff. The flyers, left at neighbors’ doors in Miller’s Arlington community, featured Miller’s home address alongside politically charged imagery and language, including accusations of “crimes against humanity” and calls opposing his presence in Northern Virginia.
Dehghani-Tafti concluded there was insufficient evidence that Wien intended to harass Miller and determined that prosecuting her would infringe on free speech protections. Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have criticized the decision, alleging it reflected political bias and endangered Miller’s safety. Jordan initiated an inquiry into the prosecutor’s conduct, requesting extensive records and accusing her office of neglecting security concerns in favor of political considerations.
In a written statement delivered at the deposition, Dehghani-Tafti rejected politicization of prosecutorial decisions, emphasizing she does not respond to political pressure or tailor her actions to the preferences of elected officials. She declined to answer questions that would reveal confidential law enforcement information or internal deliberations.
The deposition attracted attention beyond Capitol Hill, with demonstrators gathered near the Rayburn House Office Building protesting the closed proceedings. Members of We of Action Virginia, a group advocating for justice and civil rights, warned that the secrecy surrounding the deposition raised serious concerns about transparency and democratic principles. Sarah Nichols, a group member and former U.S. Agency for International Development employee, likened the situation to red flags seen in autocratic regimes.
After more than four hours of questioning, Dehghani-Tafti declined to speak publicly, citing committee rules barring commentary on the deposition. A spokesperson for the Republican majority reiterated calls for oversight of what they characterize as politicized law enforcement and sanctuary policies that allegedly permit criminal activity, referring specifically to the prosecutor’s handling of the case involving Wien.
Dehghani-Tafti has maintained that her prosecutorial decisions adhere strictly to the facts and applicable law, regardless of the individuals involved. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between local prosecutors’ discretion and congressional oversight efforts amid broader political conflicts over immigration policy and free speech rights.