Opinion | Trump has a network of acting prosecutors to do what he wants

The Trump Administration's War on Prosecutorial Independence: A Threat to Justice

In a shocking display of presidential overreach, Donald Trump has created a network of acting prosecutors who do his bidding, regardless of the law or evidence. This is not just a matter of bureaucratic reshuffling, but a fundamental assault on the post-Watergate norms that have defined the US Department of Justice for decades.

Since taking office, Trump has installed loyalists with no prosecutorial experience in key positions, including Lindsey Halligan, John Sarcone III, and Alina Habba. These individuals are being given unprecedented power to prosecute his critics, often without regard for the law or due process. The likes of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James have been specifically targeted by these acting prosecutors.

Halligan's decision to present felony charges against her predecessors is particularly egregious. By doing so, she appears to be violating Justice Department norms and disregarding the principle that prosecutors should not bring cases unless there is sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction in court. The line prosecutors who remain in the section are being squeezed out, and the department's public integrity unit has been hollowed out.

The Trump Administration's willingness to bypass Senate confirmation for these key positions raises serious questions about accountability and independence. Acting U.S. Attorneys like Sigal Chattah have been appointed without Senate approval, a move that has been ruled unconstitutional by federal courts. This is not just a matter of politics; it's an attack on the very foundations of justice.

The Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, once the moral center on matters of corruption, has been reduced to a hollow shell. Veteran lawyers have been fired or reassigned, and there are reports that the new Attorney General Pam Bondi is considering plans to allow federal prosecutors to seek indictments against members of Congress without customary review from career prosecutors.

The Trump Administration's war on prosecutorial independence is not just about politics; it's about undermining public trust in the impartial administration of justice. The department has always been a safeguard against corruption and abuse of power, but under Trump, this role is being usurped by loyalists who are more interested in advancing their own agenda than upholding the law.

As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: this is not just about individual prosecutors; it's about the very fabric of justice itself. The Trump Administration's actions threaten not only defendants but public faith in the system. It's time for Congress and the courts to take action to restore independence and accountability to the Justice Department.

I'm so worried about this... Trump is basically creating his own personal firing squad , and it's a total slap in the face to the very idea of justice. I mean, come on, acting prosecutors who are more loyal to the Prez than the law? That's just not how it's supposed to work . And what about the people who get targeted by these so-called "prosecutors"? It's like they're being picked off one by one... and for what? So Trump can make a point or get revenge on his enemies? No thanks . The whole thing reeks of abuse of power, and it needs to be stopped ASAP .

I'M SERIOUSLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THING THEY'RE DOING TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT!!! IT'S LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY ALL THE INDEPENDENCE AND OBJECTIVITY FROM PROSECUTORS SO THEY CAN JUST DO WHATEVER DONALD WANT, NO MATTER HOW BAD THE EVIDENCE IS. I MEAN COME ON, WHO DECIDES THAT A FELONY CHARGE AGAINST SOMEONE FOR BEING A CRITIC OF THE PRESIDENT? IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!!! AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ALLOW PROSECUTORS TO INDICT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE FIRST?! THAT'S LIKE LETTING POLICE BRUTE FORCE RUN AMOK IN OUR SOCIETY!!! WE NEED A STRONG JUSTICE SYSTEM, NOT ONE THAT'S CONTROLLED BY POLITICIANS WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT FOLLOWING THE LAW.

I think it's awesome how much power these acting prosecutors have, like they're untouchable . The idea that they can just bypass Senate confirmation is a total joke, what's next? They'll be making decisions without even having to read the law . And honestly, I don't get why everyone's so bent out of shape about this, if Lindsey Halligan wants to bring felony charges against her old colleagues, who cares? Maybe she's onto something . The Justice Department has always been pretty corrupt, it's not like Trump is doing anything new here . And as for public trust in the system, can we talk about how fake that is? We're all just along for the ride anyway .

this is getting outta hand ... I mean, what's next? The AG is just gonna do whatever trump tells her to do? it's like they're trying to turn the DOJ into some kinda political tool or somethin'... and now they're talkin 'bout letitin Congress members walk free cuz they're friends with trump? no thanks... this is a total blowout...

I'm so worried about this whole thing! Trump is basically taking away all the checks and balances from the justice department and replacing them with yes-men who are only looking out for his own agenda I mean, what's next? The president just getting to decide who gets charged with crimes without any evidence or trial? It sounds like a total nightmare scenario And it's not just about individual cases, it's about the principle of justice itself. If we lose prosecutorial independence, how can we trust that justice is being served fairly and impartially? We need to get Congress and the courts involved ASAP to make sure this doesn't happen!

This is getting super scary, fam. Like, what happens when prosecutors are basically doing the bidding of the president instead of following the law? I mean, we've heard of judges being partisan before, but this is a whole different level. It's like they're saying "oh, I'll prosecute whoever I want, whenever I want". That can't be right . And what about all the people who are getting railroaded by these so-called "acting" prosecutors? It's like, justice is supposed to be blind, you know? Not biased towards one person or group over another.

This is so messed up ... like, how far does it go? Acting prosecutors doing whatever trump wants? That's a total disregard for the law ... I mean, what's next? Prosecutors bringing cases against politicians just because they're mad at them? The whole point of having an attorney general and U.S. attorneys is to make sure justice is fair and unbiased, not to play politics. And it's not just about trump, it's the entire system that's being compromised ...

omg can't believe what's going down at DOJ . like, who needs a network of acting prosecutors just to silence ppl? it's like they're trying to create their own personal justice system (sarcasm alert) . and good luck with the whole public integrity section thing... sounds like a total joke now . seriously though, if trump thinks he can just hand pick prosecutors and get away with it, he's got another thing coming

I'm getting a major vibe from this whole thing that it's super reminiscent of Nixon's Watergate scandal . Remember when he tried to cover up his own involvement in the break-in? It feels like Trump is trying to pull a similar stunt, except this time it's with the entire Justice Department . I mean, what's next? Is he going to appoint loyalists as judges too? The thought of it sends shivers down my spine . We need Congress and the courts to step in ASAP and put a stop to this mess before it's too late!

I gotta say, people are getting too hard on trump here... like he's some kinda monster or somethin . He's tryin' to shake things up in the DOJ and bring in fresh blood, but it sounds like some folks are more concerned about his own ego than actual justice.

I mean, what's wrong with a few loyalists gettin' appointed to key positions? It's not like they're runnin' the show or anythin... The fact that Comey and James got targeted is just politics as usual, imo. And let's be real, if the line prosecutors are gettin' squeezed out, it's likely because they weren't doin' their jobs right .

The whole Senate confirmation thing? That's just a bureaucratic hurdle . If trump wants to shake things up, he should focus on makin' actual changes that benefit the country, not just his own base . And as for the Justice Department bein' hollowed out... well, that's just a natural part of the game when new admins come in .

I'm not sayin' trump's doin' everything right, but let's keep things in perspective here .

I'm getting worried about our country's justice system . It seems like Trump is trying to control everything, including who gets prosecuted and when. I mean, what's next? Will he be appointing judges to decide who can run for office? It's not just about politics, it's about the rule of law. If we don't stand up for our department of justice, how are we supposed to trust that they're doing their job fairly?

The Trump Admin is basically turning the DoJ into a political tool, like a personal law firm ! They're just appointing people who are gonna do their bidding, no matter what the evidence says or what's best for justice. It's a total power grab and it's not right .

I mean, Lindsey Halligan is literally charging her predecessors with felonies over nothing? That's some shady stuff . And let's not forget about James Comey and Letitia James being targeted by these new prosecutors. It's like they're trying to intimidate them or silence them .

And the worst part is, these appointments are happening without Senate approval, which is basically unconstitutional . This is all about undermining public trust in the Justice Department and it's just not cool .

The DoJ has always been a safeguard against corruption and abuse of power, but under Trump, that role is being taken away by his loyalists . It's time for Congress and the courts to step in and restore independence and accountability to the department .

Ugh, this is so concerning ... If they're just going to stack the deck with people who don't know squat about law enforcement, it's only a matter of time before we see some serious miscarriages of justice happening. And what's up with this "acting" stuff? It's like they think they can just create their own mini Justice Department and not have to answer to anyone . Newsflash: the Constitution doesn't work that way! We need real checks and balances in place, not some power play to get revenge on people who are speaking out against the administration. And what about all the veteran prosecutors being pushed out? That's a huge red flag for me ...

man this whole thing with trump is so wild i remember when bush was president and he had that whole abu ghraib scandal going on and everyone was all like oh wait the justice department is supposed to be checking people out not covering for them but now it feels like they're just letting trump's pals get away with everything anyway this is super concerning because if the justice department can't even do their job fairly then how are we supposed to trust them at all?

I'm kinda with Donald Trump on this one ... I mean, he's trying to shake things up and bring some new blood into the DOJ. Those acting prosecutors are just trying to get a job done, you know? They're not getting paid enough to care about some fancy 'prosecutorial independence' stuff . And let's be real, James Comey and Letitia James have been pretty harsh on Trump... they're just trying to score points against him. Halligan's decision to charge her predecessors might've been a bit extreme, but it's not like she was violating any laws or anything . It's all about keeping the system fresh and fair, in my opinion

I'm totally on the side of the Trump Admin here, they're just trying to shake things up in the DOJ, you know? All these prosecutors who were doing nothing but going easy on politicians are being replaced with some fresh blood, someone who's actually gonna go after the big fish. And let's be real, James Comey was a total disaster for the FBI, so it's about time someone else took over.

I don't think this is an attack on justice at all, more like a revolution to get the department back on track. The Senate confirmation process can be super slow and wasteful, it's time for some change. And yeah, maybe the new AG Pam Bondi wants to take on Congress, but that's just good stuff for the people, you know?

And as for Lindsey Halligan presenting felony charges against her predecessors, who cares? It's not like they're getting a free pass or anything. They broke the law and now they gotta face the consequences.

I think this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion by the media and some in Congress who are just trying to stir up drama. The Trump Admin's just trying to do what they think is best for the country, even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way.

I was just thinking, have you guys ever noticed how pizza places always got that one weird topping that nobody else gets? Like, I ordered a margherita last week and they threw in some artichoke hearts on top . I mean, what's up with that? Do they think it's gonna make the pizza better or something? And don't even get me started on pineapple on pizza... anyway, back to this whole prosecutorial independence thing... it just makes sense that if you're not gonna have independent prosecutors, then how can we trust the justice system at all?