Attorney General Garland Stresses DOJ Independence in Speech to Employees
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland recently addressed Department of Justice (DOJ) employees on a wide range of issues, including DOJ independence and a rise in political violence.
The address occurred during the closing session of the 85th annual U.S. Attorneys’ conference and was billed as an address on the Department’s norms, but was also a look back at Attorney General Garland’s nearly four-year tenure on the job.
Much of it focused on the intersection of politics with DOJ’s mission.
“Our norms are a promise that we will not allow this Department to be used as a political weapon,” said Attorney General Garland. "Our norms are a promise that we will not allow this nation to become a country where law enforcement is treated as an apparatus of politics.”
Under Attorney General Garland, the DOJ faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for its handling of politically sensitive investigations, including criminal matters into former President Donald Trump, as well as investigations into President Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
Still, the Attorney General stressed DOJ’s independence.
"The public servants of the Department of Justice do not bend to politics," the attorney general said. "We will fiercely protect the independence of this department from political interference in our criminal investigations."
Rising Threats Against Federal Officials
Another issue covered was a rise in political violence and threats against federal officials.
On that matter, the Attorney General noted that there has been an escalation of attacks on DOJ personnel, including career lawyers, agents, and others.
“These attacks have come in the form of conspiracy theories, dangerous falsehoods, efforts to bully and intimidate career public servants by repeatedly and publicly singling them out, and threats of actual violence,” Attorney General Garland stated. “Through your continued work, you have made clear that the Justice Department will not be intimidated by these attacks. But it is dangerous — and outrageous — that you have to endure them.”
Attorney General Garland closed by noting that DOJ employees deserve better, deserve gratitude, deserve to be honored, and should know that their work makes a difference.
"Having now served as attorney general for the past three and a half years, I continue to believe deeply that our norms matter, now more than ever, to our department and to our democracy," added Attorney General Garland. "Protecting the rule of law is the obligation of every generation of public servants at the United States Department of Justice. In this time and place, that responsibility is yours, and it is mine."