Is DOJ hamstrung? I'm not sure under Garland's leadership that accountability and prosecution

[Evolve Dammit]

are priorities. I'm contrasting to the arrests ironically under the previous administration (Manafort, Stone, etc.) for crimes committed. And can we ever have an un-redacted Mueller report?? Perhaps DOJ is as divided as America.

[budkin]

1. Seriously. It seems like they are completely inert

We only get statements saying how they are going to do this and that but never do anything.

[jimfields33]

2. It's been six months basically.

I know he was not appointed until a few months after president Biden was inaugurated. It really hasn’t been that long. If a year from now, nothing, then it’s time for concern.

[luv2fly]

3. Even just an update with what they're doing...

... and how things are going would give hope to the masses that put these people in power.

[PortTack]

6. They are not required to give us updates. They are there doing their job! And it takes time

[Evolve Dammit]

15. Maybe DOJ needs a point person then, because we're running out of justice and perhaps democracy.

[Retrograde]

20. They need to market what they're doing

or as another poster said, a pointperson to regularly tell the public what's been accomplished. The GOP and their base understand it's all about getting the message out, and that's what they're good at.

[ecstatic]

26. Are we really going to do the blind faith thing again?

That's what happened with Mueller. I'm just going to assume nothing will be done until they show me different.

Also, even though they're not required to give updates, they should respect us enough to do so. They don't have to give their strategy away, just let us know that they're at least working towards prosecuting the planners of the attack.

Keeping the public informed has been standard practice for every other attack! What other attack can you think of where the authorities disappeared into a backroom and never updated the public again? And I'm not referring to the minions who carried out the attack--I want to be updated on the big fish. They need to be held accountable but instead they're still in Congress and/or threatening to run for president again in 2024.

[luv2fly]

29. You're right, nobody has to tell us anything ever

What a fucked up democracy that would be. Accountability matters.

[JohnSJ]

5. They have been writing serious letters

[smirkymonkey]

14. I hope they are sternly worded.

[JohnSJ]

25. Exactly, that will do it

[lagomorph777]

4. It's not looking good.

Full-term babies have been conceived and delivered since the coup attempt.

None of the leaders are in jail yet. We know who they are.

[Mad_Machine76]

7. From the outside in

It's hard to tell TBH. I have a hard time believing that they are sitting on their hands but I imagine they have a lot of messes to clean up and sort out and 1/6 is a huge mess in and of itself. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for awhile. I don't subscribe to the idea that they are incompetent, negligent, etc.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. I agree. They are competent career people. But there has been limited action.

[Corgigal]

8. I read in the Washington Post magazine

that Garland doesn’t want to deal with things in the past. When I mentioned this to my husband he said, aren’t most crimes in the past?

Thought, damn. Got a glass of wine.

[Evolve Dammit]

13. Yeah and we were going to close Guantanamo too. Nobody is above the law seems a joke.

[former9thward]

28. Everyone says they are going to close Guantanamo.

Then when they get in power someone whispers to them "Yes, it would be nice to close it but we need someplace we can take non citizens where U.S. Constitutional rights do not apply" And it never gets closed.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

32. This 100%

And if by some miracle it actually is shut down, I guarantee it's because we've got a replacement up and running elsewhere.

[Evolve Dammit]

35. We need to name names. Who the hell is calling these shots? It ain't We the people.

[stillcool]

9. Lawrence Tribe is good with Garland

that was nice of him to say to Rachel. The way of things in this country does not bode well for accountability. It's never been done before.

[fescuerescue]

11. Might be hamstrung by rules that Trump put into place

That can't be removed.

But there is no way to know.

[BlueIdaho]

12. I have zero confidence in Garland.

So far he sounds like Trump… “in two weeks I will reveal…” Some day I hope I can say I’m wrong - but so far he’s underwhelming. He may be a good judge but as “America’s Prosecutor” he’s toothless.

[smirkymonkey]

16. +1000

[Bettie]

17. People keep saying he puts "The Institution" first

well, the institution means nothing if it stands for nothing but "normalcy", whatever that even is.

[BlueIdaho]

19. Amen.

If there was ever a time for the DOJ to act boldly and decisively - it’s now!

[Retrograde]

22. Back in 2016 McConnel proposed Garland

to Obama as "a judge he could work with", which to me is telling. He's a moderate, which these days is about what the right was 50 years ago. I'd like to see more motion on the Jan. 6 rioters for a start - why does it seem like the courts are going so slowly? They committed federal crimes, surely a federal law enforcement agency has an interest in seeing these cases prosecuted.

[BlueIdaho]

23. I'm old enough to remember when the DOJ acted first

And held press conferences second. Today it seems like they are so busy holding press conferences they never get around to using the law to protect the people. Civil rights? Voting rights? Women’s rights? Protecting the constitution from those that would shit on it? There is much to be done but the DOJ under Garland doesn’t seem too interested in doing any of it.

[Bettie]

27. Well, he doesn't want to be too hard on people

or it will "seem political".

Honestly, I don't expect to see any action from them beyond a few 'slap on the wrist' type sentences for lower level insurrectionists and then, they'll just let the rest of it go.

I wish I believed that there was even a slight possibility of justice or even accountability, but I don't.

[BlueIdaho]

30. It's a damn good thing the DOJ didn't feel that way

When they were trying to enforce civil rights laws against George Wallace.

[Bettie]

31. Yeah, it is

it's a really good thing.

Now imagine this DOJ in that situation.

Who knows? Maybe there are things happening...I wish I believed that was the case. I really do.

I really hope I'm wrong.

[BlueIdaho]

34. Me too Bettie, me too. nt.

[Mary in S. Carolina]

18. How about Separation of Church and State

Why is Garland not going after the Churches??

[BlueIdaho]

21. Easy...

Garland isn’t going after anyone for anything.

[Poiuyt]

24. I think Biden appointed Garland specifically because he wouldn't do anything that might look

"political." That's fine, except when there have been crimes committed that impact our democracy.

[Evolve Dammit]

36. If that's true, and it well might be, it is potentially democracy-breaking. If DOJ is reduced to

window dressing, we are cooked.

[NBachers]

33. They're busy printing up parking and jaywalking tickets for the traitors to plead to.

[Evolve Dammit]

37. So far it sure feels that way. Most of the country has moved on, and the hearings aren't even news.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

38. Justice Department planning to sue Texas over abortion law

Link to tweet

The Department of Justice is planning to sue Texas as soon as this week, POLITICO has confirmed, a move that comes just days after Attorney General Merrick Garland said his department is exploring options to challenge the state’s strict abortion law.

While the lawsuit could come as soon as Thursday, it’s possible the timeline will be pushed back, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the Justice Department’s preparations. The Biden administration has faced building pressure to act after the Supreme Court allowed the law to take effect in a 5-4 decision.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit is expected to argue that the Texas law illegally interferes with federal interests.

The new Texas law, SB 8, bans abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. The law places enforcement responsibilities on private parties, by incentivizing individuals who can recover $10,000 or more if they win a case against a party they accuse of performing or aiding in an abortion. By putting enforcement powers in the hands of private citizens, instead of state or local government officials, it leaves opponents of the bill without an obvious party to sue.

[Hekate]

39. Well, there's these two stories. Whaddaya think? And there's more.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215835766

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142797519

Oh, another one
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215834772

[Hekate]

40. Oh woe is me, oh gloom and doom, the world is ending. Well done you: there's like twodozen people...

… wallowing in this despair. That takes talent!

[Evolve Dammit]

41. No need to be insulting.

[Hekate]

44. Never

[Evolve Dammit]

45. pretty darn close; read the Rules. I don't think Buddha or DU would like that

[Wounded Bear]

42. When operating properly, DoJ doesn't "announce" who or what it is investigating...

so I'm not that worried.

[Evolve Dammit]

43. Hope you're right

[StarfishSaver]

46. Say it again

Please.