Rachel: New evidence emerges of Team Trump politicizing the Justice Dept.

[lindysalsagal]

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/new-evidence-emerges-team-trump-politicizing-justice-dept-rcna46924?cid=eml_maddow_20220909&user_email=f6a0d94c816fe5ba8d662ac9ee83dfdbae1a51d1a7fb8eba2a9d0718e9759a89&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TRMS%209/9/22&utm_term=Rachel%20Maddow%20Show

According to a leading prosecutor in the former administration, Team Trump's efforts to politicize federal law enforcement was even worse than we realized.

Sept. 8, 2022, 3:56 PM EDT
By Steve Benen

A book by a former top federal prosecutor offers new details about how the Justice Department under President Donald J. Trump sought to use the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan to support Mr. Trump politically and pursue his critics — even pushing the office to open a criminal investigation of former secretary of state John Kerry.

The former U.S. attorney has apparently described an almost cartoonishly corrupted process in which officials tried to hide relevant references to the then-president in court filings, targeted the White House’s perceived political rivals, and sought prosecutions of Democrats for purely partisan goals.

A Washington Post analysis went on to highlight not only the many instances in which Trump leaned on the Justice Department to follow his wishes, but also Trump’s efforts to push federal law enforcement to validate the Big Lie in the wake of his election defeat.

Trump politicized the Justice Department. He fired FBI officials and federal prosecutors when they resisted his partisan schemes. He handed pardons to political allies like party favors on his way out the door. He did all of this while occasionally throwing around phrases like “law and order” and “rule of law” as if they were punch lines to sad jokes.

[Gaugamela]

1. K&R.

[mopinko]

2. fire everyone who signed a single piece of paper for that scum.

there. now we have a way to weed them out.

now do the pentagon.

[Mr. Ected]

3. Being a Democrat in the Deep South, if I'm EVER ticketed, summoned or arrested

I will be sure to use the POLITICAL PERSECUTION defense.

(or is that only effective when used by Republicans?)

[peppertree]

5. You said it.

If, God forbid, such a thing were to happen, I'd keep quiet about my political leanings if I were you (I lived in Mi'ssippi for a number of years, and I'm sure it's much worse now that it was then).

Because if they find out for certain, you'd risk being put through a kangaroo court.

Which - like with all authoritarians - is what Repugs want for everyone.

[bringthePaine]

4. said from the jump that it was simply a "hostile takeover", all moves fit the context, crimes too

[Septua]

6. There was literally a handful of people...

..that prevented his take over of the government.

[Lonestarblue]

7. My worry is that there are still Trump moles in the FBI and DOJ, as well as the Pentagon.

They all need to be rooted out.

[Duppers]

12. Absolutely!

[NBachers]

8. I may be slightly off-topic, but I'm compelled to insert: Alvin Bragg, Alvin Bragg, Alvin Bragg . .

[2naSalit]

13. +1

[dchill]

18. NOT off topic. It was my first thought. BRAGG!

(In the same tone as Seinfeld saying "NEWMAN!&quot

[Evolve Dammit]

9. A Lot of damage was done in four years. As others have posted, Garland inherited a snake pit.

[Hekate]

10. KnR

[2naSalit]

11. K&R

[Tadpole Raisin]

14. Nicolle is talking about this now and Berman is going to be a guest on her show sometime soon.

[Grins]

15. What's the "new" part?

Which agency of the government did he NOT corrupt?

[lindysalsagal]

16. Msnbc pundit Eddie Glaub calls it "The Imperial Presidency"

I like "Criminal Presidency."

[tishaLA]

17. Barr must have known this was in the pipeline

which would help explain his recent media appearances trying to launder his reputation. This is what happens when you have an AG who believes in virtually unlimited power vested in the executive paired with a corrupt executive.

[Martin Eden]

19. TFG believed the Justice Dept was there to serve him

Just as he believed the top secret documents were his personal property.