Staff Reports
Merrick Garland, the Attorney General who seems to have developing a committed relationship with carefully worded speeches, recently pledged to protect the Department of Justice from being turned into a “political weapon.” Ironically, he forgot to mention the multi-million dollar political circus he’s currently overseeing against former President Donald Trump. Perhaps he was waiting for an appropriate moment to announce that he supports personal accountability… just not for himself.
In a recent address to DOJ staff, Garland touted the importance of impartiality, as if casting a wide net over the Department’s methods would somehow hide his department’s relationship with the ongoing Trump prosecutions. He highlighted the DOJ’s commitment to avoid any influence from political beliefs and vowed to uphold constitutional norms. It’s almost charming how he acted as if these platitudes would quell concerns about the apparent double standards at play, especially when those concerns include two federal cases against a former president whose political history is anything but boring.
"When I came back to DOJ in 2021, after a particularly difficult period for the Department, I said that my mission as Attorney General would be to reaffirm and strengthen those norms as the principles upon which the Justice Department operates." – Attorney General Garland
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) September 12, 2024
Garland’s notion that there is “not one rule for friends and another for foes” is about as convincing as a magician insisting that none of his tricks involve sleight of hand. One has to wonder how “following the facts” translates into pursuing two federal indictments against Trump while staying silent about the political motivations behind them. After all, Special Counsel Jack Smith certainly didn’t choose to indict Trump based on unshakable evidence alone. The Biden-Harris DOJ is seemingly intent on leveraging the justice system as if it were a political game piece rather than upholding the law as they preach.
In an ironic twist of fate, the judge overseeing Trump’s classified documents case decided that Smith was unconstitutionally appointed, which is a twist Garland might view as a plot twist featuring his own role. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has stated that former presidents enjoy a degree of immunity from prosecution for actions taken while in office, essentially spelling out that Smith’s original indictment might be as shaky as a Jenga tower with fingers crossed. The drama continues as the courts unravel this quagmire, all while the midterm elections loom closer on the horizon.
Garland also expressed concern over the supposed “escalation of attacks” on DOJ personnel. While the notion of an uproar against such an influential department sounds serious, one can’t help but wonder what exactly constitutes an “attack” when the DOJ is busily orchestrating legal volleys aimed squarely at prominent political figures. Is criticism now deemed a harmful assault? Or is it simply the price of doing business in a politically charged environment where the DOJ seems to be taking sides? With the memo marching forth, Garland assures his staff that they won’t allow the Department to become a pawn in the political game. It’s only a shame if no one believes him.
