The recent firings is a sign of President Donald Trump’s tightening grip over the law enforcement agency known for its long tradition of political independence.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/35368737

On Friday, an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles was fired without explanation in an terse email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office shortly after a right-wing activist posted about him on social media, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were concerned about potential retribution.

That followed the White House’s firing last week of a longtime career prosecutor who had been serving as acting U.S. attorney in Memphis, Tennessee.

The terminations marked an escalation of norm-shattering moves that have embroiled the Justice Department in turmoil and have raised alarm over a disregard for civil service protections for career lawyers and the erosion of the agency’s independence from the White House. That one of them was fired on the same day a conservative internet personality called for his removal adds to questions about how outside influences may be helping to shape government personnel decisions.

  • ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
    11·
    2 days ago

    “The American people deserve a judicial branch full of honest arbiters of the law who want to protect democracy, not subvert it,” Leavitt said. The Justice Department is an executive branch agency.

    It’s comedic (if physical revulsion can be comedic) how perfect this doublespeak is - straight out of 1984.