Attorney General Merrick Garland says Justice Department ‘will not bend’ to political pressure

In a compelling address delivered on Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland firmly rejected attempts to transform the Justice Department into a “political weapon.” Speaking to DOJ staff and U.S. attorneys from across the nation, Garland expressed deep concern over the increasing assaults on the integrity of the department and its employees.

Garland criticized the “escalation of attacks” targeting the Justice Department’s career professionals through unfounded conspiracy theories and dangerous misinformation. He denounced the efforts to intimidate and bully these public servants, highlighting how such actions included direct threats of violence.

Addressing these concerns from the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Garland stated, “It is dangerous to target and intimidate individual employees of this Department simply for doing their jobs.” He further emphasized, “And it is outrageous that you have to face these unfounded attacks because you are doing what is right and upholding the rule of law.”

Garland’s remarks come in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s assertions that the Justice Department has been weaponized against him amidst his ongoing criminal prosecutions. Trump has also hinted at politicizing the department should he return to the presidency.

While Garland did not specifically name Trump or his associates, his speech implicitly addressed these claims. He asserted, “There is not one rule for friends and another for foes, one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless, one rule for the rich and another for the poor, one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, or different rules depending on one’s race or ethnicity.”

Garland reaffirmed the department’s commitment to impartiality, declaring that “our norms are a promise that we will not allow this nation to become a country where law enforcement is treated as an apparatus of politics.” This statement was met with applause from the audience.

Trump and his allies have previously suggested dismantling the Justice Department and its law enforcement branches, like the FBI, or prosecuting political adversaries. In response, Garland highlighted his mission since being appointed in 2021 to “fiercely protect the independence of this department from political interference in our criminal investigations.”

To safeguard this independence, Garland noted that the department has reinstated policies governing interactions between DOJ personnel and the White House and Congress. Additionally, there have been updates to guidelines for sensitive FBI investigations and enhanced protections for reporters from law enforcement scrutiny.

Garland also took the opportunity to express gratitude to the department’s prosecutors and staff. He commended them for their resilience and commitment to justice, saying, “You deserve better.” He praised their steadfastness in refusing to yield to political pressure and their ability to uphold the department’s core principles despite mounting challenges.

In summary, Attorney General Merrick Garland’s speech underscored the Justice Department’s dedication to maintaining its autonomy and integrity in the face of political attempts to undermine it. His defense of the department’s career staff and his commitment to a nonpartisan approach to law enforcement were central themes of his address.