This chapter delves into the challenges facing leadership within the Justice Department amid political pressures and the polarized perceptions of civil servants. It examines critical issues like the implications of recent legal rulings, the emotional weight of a key speech addressing departmental integrity, and the fears induced by political rhetoric. The discussion also highlights the urgent need for reinstating nonpartisan independence to protect the agency from becoming a political tool.
For years, former President Donald Trump has railed against law enforcement officials who have sought to hold him accountable. In his latest book, Where Tyranny Begins: the Justice Department, the FBI and the War on Democracy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and senior executive editor for national security at NBC News David Rohde investigates how Trump’s attacks have impacted law enforcement agencies and the civil servants who work there. In this episode, Kara and David discuss how Trump’s threats and conspiracy theories have undermined important investigations; why Attorney General Merrick Garland hasn’t been able to turn the tide on public trust; and what happens to a democracy that loses the rule of law.
Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher
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