‘Go Big and Go Loud’: Inside the Justice Dept.’s Push to Prosecute Protesters

Rich Barker, a partner at Singleton Schreiber, appeared in a New York Times article called “‘Go Big and Go Loud’: Inside the Justice Dept.’s Push to Prosecute Protesters,” published on March 19, 2026.

The article mentions Barker’s previous role as acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. He resigned instead of signing an indictment against protesters. His choice is shown as part of larger concerns about how prosecutors handle protest cases.

The article looks at how the Department of Justice has increased efforts to prosecute protesters under a national security directive. It raises legal questions about First Amendment rights, conspiracy charges, and when protest actions become criminal.

“I knew there was no place for me in the Justice Department if I was being asked to bring felony charges against these protesters in a way that would compromise my integrity,” Barker said. “This was not an organized conspiracy. It was a protest where people were exercising their free-speech rights.”