Luigi Mangione's lawyers urge Pam Bondi to step aside, citing UnitedHealthcare lobbying connections

WASHINGTON, DC: Attorneys for Luigi Mangione argued in a court filing on late Friday, December 19, that Attorney General Pam Bondi should have recused herself from his federal prosecution, citing what they described as a “profound” conflict of interest stemming from her prior ties to a lobbying firm connected to UnitedHealthcare.

Mangione, 27, faces state and federal charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan. He has pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Defense cites prior lobbying ties

Mangione’s defense team, Karen and Marc Agnifilo, said that Bondi’s former role as a partner at Ballard Partners creates an appearance of bias because the firm represents UnitedHealthcare and continues to do so.

The filing argues that Bondi still profits from her association with the firm, raising due process concerns.

“Any criminal defendant, let alone one who the government is trying to kill, is due a criminal process that is untainted by the financial interests of his prosecutors,” the attorneys wrote.

They further noted that Bondi took the “unprecedented step” of personally directing prosecutors to seek capital punishment, a move they say intensified the alleged conflict.

Push to block death penalty bid

The defense filing seeks multiple remedies, including barring prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty, dismissing two charges, and suppressing evidence and statements obtained during Mangione’s arrest.

A hearing on those issues is scheduled for January 9, 2026, before US District Judge Margaret Garnett.

In April, Garnett instructed Bondi to refrain from public commentary on the case after the attorney general said that the death penalty decision aligned with President Donald Trump’s public safety agenda.

Broader legal backdrop

Federal prosecutors have previously defended their actions, arguing that high-profile cases routinely proceed in the Southern District of New York despite intense public attention.

The latest filing comes one day after the conclusion of a pretrial suppression hearing in state court, where Mangione’s attorneys challenged evidence seized during his arrest in Pennsylvania. A ruling in that matter is expected in May.

US Attorney Jay Clayton, who initially oversaw the case, was also recused earlier this year without a public explanation.