In recent years, America has grown accustomed to expecting presidents to steer clear of criminal prosecutions, particularly those involving their closest associates. However, under the leadership of Donald Trump, this expectation has been turned on its head.
Since taking office, Trump has made a concerted effort to replace seasoned and Senate-confirmed prosecutors with political loyalists who are willing to bend the law to suit his interests. This move not only undermines the independence of the Justice Department but also creates an environment where prosecution is no longer about upholding justice, but rather about serving as a tool for personal vendettas.
With 18 out of 93 Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys in place, Trump has created a network of acting prosecutors who are beholden to him and will do his bidding. These acting prosecutors have been instrumental in pursuing cases against Trump's critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The appointment process for these acting prosecutors is highly unusual, with many lacking any actual experience as prosecutors. For instance, Lindsey Halligan, who was appointed interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has no prosecutorial experience whatsoever. Her actions in presenting felony charges against two of Trump's critics have been met with widespread criticism and are seen as a blatant attempt to silence his opponents.
The impact of this approach is far-reaching, with many experts arguing that it represents a fundamental assault on the post-Watergate norms that have defined the Justice Department for half a century. The fact that Trump has been able to sidestep the Senate and install these acting prosecutors in place, without any proper vetting or oversight, raises serious concerns about the impartial administration of justice.
The most worrying aspect of this situation is the role of Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has installed these acting prosecutors through extraordinary and untested legal maneuvers. Her actions have been likened to a "weaponization" campaign, where the Justice Department is being used as a tool for personal vendettas rather than serving the public interest.
As one former public integrity attorney noted, the reason for the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department was precisely to prevent politicization and ensure that public officials are treated equally under the law. However, under Trump's leadership, this section has been hollowed out, with many veteran lawyers being fired or reassigned in favor of political enforcers.
The White House is also reportedly exerting intense pressure on career federal prosecutors to pursue cases against Trump's critics and opponents, creating an environment where prosecution is no longer about seeking justice, but rather about serving as a tool for personal vengeance. This campaign of intimidation and coercion is nothing short of unprecedented in American history.
In conclusion, the appointment of acting prosecutors loyal to Trump has created a crisis of confidence in the Justice Department, with many experts warning that this approach represents a fundamental assault on the independence and impartiality of the institution. As one observer noted, "This is not merely a bureaucratic reshuffle; it's a fundamental assault on the post-Watergate norms that have defined the Justice Department for half a century."
Since taking office, Trump has made a concerted effort to replace seasoned and Senate-confirmed prosecutors with political loyalists who are willing to bend the law to suit his interests. This move not only undermines the independence of the Justice Department but also creates an environment where prosecution is no longer about upholding justice, but rather about serving as a tool for personal vendettas.
With 18 out of 93 Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys in place, Trump has created a network of acting prosecutors who are beholden to him and will do his bidding. These acting prosecutors have been instrumental in pursuing cases against Trump's critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The appointment process for these acting prosecutors is highly unusual, with many lacking any actual experience as prosecutors. For instance, Lindsey Halligan, who was appointed interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has no prosecutorial experience whatsoever. Her actions in presenting felony charges against two of Trump's critics have been met with widespread criticism and are seen as a blatant attempt to silence his opponents.
The impact of this approach is far-reaching, with many experts arguing that it represents a fundamental assault on the post-Watergate norms that have defined the Justice Department for half a century. The fact that Trump has been able to sidestep the Senate and install these acting prosecutors in place, without any proper vetting or oversight, raises serious concerns about the impartial administration of justice.
The most worrying aspect of this situation is the role of Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has installed these acting prosecutors through extraordinary and untested legal maneuvers. Her actions have been likened to a "weaponization" campaign, where the Justice Department is being used as a tool for personal vendettas rather than serving the public interest.
As one former public integrity attorney noted, the reason for the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department was precisely to prevent politicization and ensure that public officials are treated equally under the law. However, under Trump's leadership, this section has been hollowed out, with many veteran lawyers being fired or reassigned in favor of political enforcers.
The White House is also reportedly exerting intense pressure on career federal prosecutors to pursue cases against Trump's critics and opponents, creating an environment where prosecution is no longer about seeking justice, but rather about serving as a tool for personal vengeance. This campaign of intimidation and coercion is nothing short of unprecedented in American history.
In conclusion, the appointment of acting prosecutors loyal to Trump has created a crisis of confidence in the Justice Department, with many experts warning that this approach represents a fundamental assault on the independence and impartiality of the institution. As one observer noted, "This is not merely a bureaucratic reshuffle; it's a fundamental assault on the post-Watergate norms that have defined the Justice Department for half a century."
. It's like he thinks he can just dictate justice and get away with it 
. Newsflash, Donald: we're onto you! The fact that he's pushing career prosecutors around and telling them to go after his enemies is a huge red flag 
. And what's up with these acting prosecutors having no experience whatsoever? It's like they're just puppets on strings 
. This whole thing is a recipe for disaster, in my opinion 
. If Trump wants to take on his critics, he should do it through the courts, not by manipulating the Justice Department 
. And what's with Pam Bondi? Is she just trying to make a name for herself or something? 
I mean, what's next? Appointing their buddies to be judges too? 
And Lindsey Halligan has no experience as a prosecutor at all? Come on! 
How can we trust that she's gonna do her job fairly when she's got no clue? 
OMG u guys, this Trump admin thing is GETTING WILD!!! 
like what even is that? 
how can we trust these people to do their jobs? 
and it's not just the lack of experience, it's also the fact that they're being installed without any proper vetting or oversight 
like what's next? 
it's crazy how far he's willing to go to get ahead 
. Newsflash, Donny: the Justice Department isn't supposed to be your personal plaything 
. This is a huge deal and it's making me so worried about the future of our country 
. What's next? Is he going to start appointing his personal Twitter followers to investigate his enemies? 
and i mean what even is the point of having a public integrity section if theyre just gonna fire the good people and bring in political hacks? 
. Like, isn't the point of prosecutors supposed to be impartial & go after bad guys without regard to who's in charge? 
. I mean, isn't that how the Senate is supposed to do its job? Check backgrounds & vet people before they're confirmed? It feels like Trump is just pushing everything under a rug and hoping nobody notices 
. I mean, come on, 18 out of 93 Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys are acting prosecutors who have no experience as prosecutors? That's crazy! 
. And don't even get me started on how this whole thing is being used to silence his critics and opponents. It's like, hello, isn't the point of the Justice Department supposed to be impartial justice? Not personal vendettas 
. Newsflash: being president ain't about getting away with whatever you want, it's about serving the greater good. And if you're gonna undermine the integrity of an institution as fundamental as the Justice Dept, you gotta be prepared for the consequences 
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. It starts to erode trust in institutions, and next thing you know, we're living in a society where justice is just a tool for personal gain 
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. And let's be real, it's not like these prosecutors are exactly qualified for the job... I heard Lindsey Halligan has zero experience as a prosecutor, but hey, who needs that when you've got Trump's backing? 
. This is a huge power grab and it's causing widespread concern among law enforcement officials 
! And we're seeing cases like the one in Virginia, where Lindsey Halligan presented felony charges against Trump critics without a single shred of evidence 
.
. The Justice Department's Public Integrity Section has been decimated 
, and it's hard to see how this can be good for democracy 
. According to my data, 62% of all cases now involve Trump critics or opponents 
. This is a huge departure from the way things were under Obama 
(when only 27% of cases involved Trump critics).
Here are the latest numbers on U.S. attorneys under Trump:
This whole situation with Trump and his acting prosecutors is super concerning 
.
. We need more of them in positions of power if we're ever going to restore some semblance of sanity and justice to this country 
.