‘This is the worst crisis’: Trump’s thrown-out cases are broken down by former U.S. attorney
Former U.S. attorney Harry Litman says that Donald Trump’s impending presidency and dismissed criminal cases are “the worst crisis” the Department of Justice has faced.
On November 25, special counsel Jack Smith filed motions to dismiss Trump’s criminal cases. He was the first president in history to face federal charges in relation to his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling of classified documents. Unfortunately, delays, including the Supreme Court’s ruling of partial immunity for the president, ensured the cases didn’t go to trial before election day. When America voted to elect a convicted felon facing federal charges as President of the United States, it spelled the end of Trump’s federal cases due to the Department of Justice’s policy not to prosecute a serving president. The cases were dismissed without prejudice, meaning they could be refiled someday.
Still, Trump’s ability to evade justice and his alleged plan to fire Smith’s whole team when he takes over the office has sparked concerns about the future of the Department of Justice.
Harry Litman highlights grave concerns for the Department of Justice
Speaking with CBS News‘ Ed O’Keefe, Litman spelled out his concerns for the Department of Justice. O’Keefe questioned if he thought the Department of Justice would be “demoralized” by Trump’s cases “falling apart” or if they’re accustomed to things like this because it’s just “the rules.” Litman confirmed, “No, this is not a ‘them’s the rules as usual’ kind of situation.” He explained that it’s not just the dismissal of the cases that will have an impact on the Department of Justice, but the connotations of its dismissal. Litman stated, “It’s not simply these cases falling apart, but the assertion of the power just from the president to make them fall apart and other things that are contemplated for the DOJ.”
Litman said of the impact of the cases being dismissed and Trump bringing in loyalist Pam Bondi as Attorney General, “We have a really demoralized career staff, people putting their resumes on the street, people being really afraid of what Trump’s entry will mean for the storied DOJ function of doing justice without fear or favor.” He concluded, “This is the worst crisis I’ve ever seen in DOJ history.” However, O’Keefe pointed out that this is likely precisely what Trump wants. “He’s trying to disrupt the federal government. Might as well start with the Justice Department.” Litman indicated agreement with O’Keefe’s assessment.
The dismissal of Trump cases is certainly demoralizing. Not only does it leave the Department of Justice uncertain about whether it can fulfill its duty to uphold justice, but it also leaves them in fear of Trump’s retaliation. Another law expert predicted Trump would throw the Department of Justice into even further chaos by treading into likely illegal territory and firing the protected workers on Smith’s team. Between lawlessness, retribution, and demoralization, the state of the Department of Justice is very concerning. With Trump consistently hiring the most inexperienced and controversial cabinet picks and threatening to fire federal workers, disrupting the government certainly appears to be the agenda, and he may have already succeeded in doing so with the Department of Justice.
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