Justice Connection today called on the incoming members of Congress to embrace its role as a co-equal branch of government to conduct meaningful oversight of the Justice Department and develop legislation that will strengthen its role as an impartial, nonpartisan law enforcement agency.
“This administration has attacked the very foundations of the Justice Department, abusing its authority to protect the President’s interests, punish his enemies, and reward his friends,” said Stacey Young, executive director of Justice Connection. “We look forward to working with Congress to not only repair the damage inflicted on the Justice Department but ensure it can never again be exploited by a president who believes he is the law.”
One of the most critical areas of focus needs to be the Justice Department’s all-out assault on its career workforce and the federal civil service. The broad assertion of the President’s Article II power to fire civil servants for any reason or no reason fundamentally undermines the Justice Department’s ability to enforce the country’s laws fairly and impartially. Enhancing civil service protections must be at the forefront of any reform efforts.
Congress must also work to restore the Justice Department’s independence and reinvigorate its ability to investigate and hold those in power accountable. This administration has dismantled corruption enforcement and turned the president’s pardon power into a profit center for the president and his allies. Aggressive oversight is vital, but Congress should also endeavor to pass laws that will restore the ideal best articulated by John Adams: that we remain a government of laws, not of men.
Justice Connection is committed to working with Congress to rebuild the career workforce at the Justice Department and uphold the rule of law.
“We have a vast network of career DOJ and FBI alumni eager to work with a Congress that is ready to pursue desperately needed reforms at the Justice Department,” Young said. “Former career employees are the ones who can speak most credibly to what an apolitical, impartial department looks like when it revolves around the rule of law. They understand the department’s structural weaknesses that led to where we are and the best ways to address them.”
Justice Connection has recently developed two tools to help Congress and the public better understand how the administration’s actions are harming the Justice Department and the public it serves. The national caseload data dashboard allows users to quickly verify claims, discover prosecution trends, or compare DOJ activity under this president to earlier administrations. The workforce data dashboard helps users see who is leaving and who is getting hired at the department, across components and job types. Additional data tools are forthcoming.
