Justice Department leadership has overseen the gutting of its career workforce–especially experts in public corruption and civil rights enforcement–and has shown a disregard for the institutional norms that have guided the Department for decades.
The erosion of important guardrails has come to a head in recent days as the Justice Department has brazenly shown its eagerness to use its investigative and prosecution powers to target political opponents.
“Taken together, these actions represent politically motivated attacks intended to punish individuals and institutions who stand up for their convictions,” said Stacey Young, executive director and founder of Justice Connection. “Department leadership has largely dismantled the Public Integrity Section and Civil Rights Division and changed or ignored longheld internal rules intended to guard against political prosecutions. For the rule of law to survive, the Justice Department cannot serve as an arm of the President, or a weapon to exact political retribution.”
In just the last four days:
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President Trump stated his intention to call for investigations into celebrities who supported his political opponent in the 2024 election cycle.
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The Justice Department announced a new initiative using the False Claims Act to punish colleges and universities for implementing diversity measures disfavored by the administration.
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The Civil Rights Division announced an investigation into the hiring practices of the City of Chicago following remarks by Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson at a recent event where he discussed the benefits of a diverse administration.
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The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey announced charges against a Democratic member of Congress for allegations related to her actions at a protest at an immigration facility. The charges do not appear to have complied with Justice Manual requirements for charging members of Congress.
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The Civil Rights Division filed an amicus brief in support of Republican state Representative Laurel Libby, who sued Democratic Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Ryan Fecteau for censuring her in response to an alleged House code of ethics violation.
Justice Connection is a network of Justice Department alumni supporting the department’s nonpartisan workforce. We will continue speaking out about what’s happening at the Justice Department to stand up for career employees, and to preserve the rule of law. To stay informed about ongoing attacks on DOJ, visit our DOJ Attack Tracker.
