As Donald Trump rushes to revamp the U.S. Department of Justice and expand his influence over prosecutors and legal decisions, he often hints during the campaign that he is targeting political opponents for “vengeance.” Gen says there are rapidly growing concerns about how he will abuse his power to target people. -Federal Prosecutor.
These fears were fueled by Trump’s selection of ultra-loyalist and incendiary Florida congressman Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, and his use of a special counsel to file baseless criminal charges against Trump, who he calls “weaponized” criminal charges. It was a surprising decision by the president-elect to support the fight against the government. against him for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss.
Mr. Trump’s nomination of Mr. Gates immediately set off alarm bells among former Justice Department officials and some Republicans in Congress. They view Gates as unsuitable because of longstanding ethical and legal issues that have dogged him, which could seriously jeopardize his Senate confirmation.
Most of all, Gaetz’s choice is a support that could give Trump more power at the Justice Department to advance his revenge plans and avoid the conflicts that Trump has occasionally had with Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr. This highlights the importance placed on choosing people. Attorney General in the first administration.
“It’s an unusual choice,” said former Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich. “In a world full of lawyers willing to do his bidding, President Trump chooses a candidate with so much baggage that he has the power and the backbone in his party to stand up to him. I’m trying to see if.
(Matt Gates) is an extraordinary choice. (Trump) is testing his power, and testing whether anyone in his party has the backbone to oppose him.
Michael Bromwich, former Department of Justice Inspector General
“Mr. Gaetz will not be able to obtain security clearance because of the criminal sex trafficking investigation that was finally closed a year ago, the House Ethics Committee investigation, and other misconduct. Even if the Senate Even with a Republican majority, it’s hard to imagine he could be confirmed.”
Similarly, Daniel Richman, a Columbia University law professor and former federal prosecutor, expressed regret over Trump’s choice of Gates. “Trump’s selection shows his disdain for the department and will certainly cause people within the department, especially in the Washington, D.C., area, to seriously consider whether they can afford to remain in the department,” he said.
But President Trump lavished praise on Gates by tapping him, saying he would “end weaponized government, secure our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and bring justice to the devastated American people.” We will restore faith and trust in the ministry.”
Furthermore, Trump’s selection of Gates is a retaliation led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought criminal charges against Trump for conspiring to overturn his 2020 defeat and illicit extortion of hundreds of dollars. It added to previous concerns over Trump’s debunked claims that he was the victim of “legal action.” Storage of confidential documents after he leaves office.
Mr. Trump and his lawyers have vehemently denied Mr. Smith’s accusations.
Last month, President Trump said Smith should be fired within “two seconds” and that Smith should be “deported from the country.” Similarly, President Trump’s ally Elon Musk said Smith “will not go unpunished,” and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan warned Smith to “protect everything” and said he would not investigate the investigation. suggested the possibility of starting.
Former Justice Department prosecutors say Smith is currently in the process of closing two investigations, given that Gates will almost certainly move to drop the cases at President Trump’s request. He plans to resign before Trump takes office as President.
Compounding concerns about President Trump’s plans to increase his influence over the Justice Department was the highly controversial July 1 U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting the president broad immunity from prosecution for “official” actions. It was a verdict.
Critics also note that Trump has frequently referred to people convicted of committing acts of violence during the January 6 riot as “patriots” in an effort to stop the certification of Biden’s victory. I am concerned that the rule of law and the Department of Justice will be significantly weakened. Once he takes office, he will grant many pardons.
On Thursday, in another sign that Trump is aggressively moving to reform the Justice Department, Trump announced his defense of Smith and 34 corporate fraud charges for which he was convicted in New York. Mr. Todd Blanche, the main lawyer who was appointed as deputy lawyer. Attorney General.
Former Justice Department officials said Mr. Trump risked violating historic standards of independence by threatening to punish political opponents, including Mr. Smith as well as Mr. Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. are.
“President Trump’s revenge plan is completely inconsistent with the Department of Justice’s standards for initiating investigations and prosecutions,” Bromwich said. “Anyone carrying out that agenda within the Department of Justice would be violating not only historical practice but also certain Department of Justice requirements contained in internal regulations.
“They may curry favor with the White House, but they expose themselves to investigations into misconduct within the Justice Department — unless their duties are neutralized — and risk disbarment. I guess.”
In this regard, Bromwich warned: “There is no doubt that a Republican Congress will be a willing accomplice in pursuing Mr. Trump’s enemies, including those who investigated and prosecuted him. It’s the incompetence of the investigators who have proven their incompetence time and time again.”
Other former prosecutors are concerned that President Trump could aggressively attack his political opponents in light of the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision this year.
“I am concerned about the immunity the Trump administration enjoys from criminal prosecution,” said Barbara McQuaid, a former top prosecutor in the Eastern District of Michigan who now teaches law at the University of Michigan. “If President Trump orders his attorney general to prosecute his rivals, the prosecution will be prohibited,” giving Trump the freedom to attack his opponents.
Mr McQuaid said: “Even a loyalist attorney general cannot prosecute cases without assistants. , I am hopeful that I may be replaced by people who are willing to follow suit.”
Mr. McQuaid also emphasized that: “After Watergate, the Justice Department enacted norms to protect it from partisan influence. Gaetz seems determined to give those norms a sledgehammer.”
Richman said Jordan and other Trump allies will undermine the Justice Department’s independence to advance President Trump’s revenge agenda and force law enforcement officials to testify before Congress about past conduct under the Biden administration. I am concerned that this may happen. “If this were to happen, and it may start with Jack Smith and the career prosecutors who worked with him, the damage to department morale and efficiency would be severe,” he said.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear what will become of Smith’s extensive work documenting charges against Trump, who left office with a vast stash of classified documents and collusion to overturn his 2020 defeat.
Smith is reportedly working to submit a final report to Merrick Garland on the findings of two federal lawsuits accusing Trump of criminal wrongdoing, and the attorney general is leaving office. There is an option to publish this report before.
Mr. Smith also faces a decision on whether to prosecute anonymous but widely identified co-conspirators in the election-subversion case, although the Trump allies whom Mr. Smith prosecuted may receive presidential pardons. Former prosecutors say that the number is extremely high.
In another area of law, if President Trump were to push through with numerous presidential pardons for participants in the January 6th insurrection, as he has suggested, it would seriously undermine the rule of law and the morale of the Justice Department. Deaf, say critics. President Trump has at times hedged about how many of the more than 1,500 people convicted of taking part in the violence against the Capitol he would pardon, but in a May 2023 CNN town hall. He said: Of them. ”
Former President Trump lawyer and former Justice Department official Ty Cobb said, “Despite the riot and violence, President Trump should not recklessly and contemptuously pardon the most serious perpetrators of January 6th.” I’m worried about that,” he said.
Cobb said he is concerned about what Trump’s Justice Department overhaul and Gaetz’s nomination portend. “Given Mr. Gaetz’s appointment, I am concerned about the integrity of the entire department.” “This is the desired outcome,” he said.
