Implications Of The DOJ Targeting The President’s Critics
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is Fresh Air. I'm Tanya Mosley. President Donald Trump's campaign against his political enemies is intensifying.
What is the main topic of President Trump's campaign against his political enemies?
This week, the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors in at least seven states to draft plans to investigate billionaire George Soros' Open Society Foundations on potential charges ranging from racketeering to support for terrorism. The foundation's president, Bneifer Nwoji, responded in her first interview since becoming a target by saying, This is not about George Soros, she told NPR. This is about the United States slowly losing its democracy bit by bit in ways that we've seen elsewhere in the world. The DOJ directive follows last week's indictment of former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making false statements and obstruction related to his 2020 congressional testimony about the Russia investigation.
Despite career prosecutors arguing that there wasn't enough evidence, the president pushed for prosecution.
What actions has the DOJ taken against George Soros' Open Society Foundations?
And when U.S. Attorney Eric Siebert refused, the president fired him and installed one of his personal lawyers, Lindsey Halligan, who quickly secured an indictment. Here's President Trump last Friday answering a reporter who asked him, now that James Comey has been indicted, who is the next person on your list?
not a list, but I think there'll be others. I mean, they're corrupt. These were corrupt, radical left Democrats. Because Comey essentially was worse than a Democrat. I would say the Democrats are better than Comey. But there'll be others. Look, that's my opinion. They weaponized The Justice Department, like nobody in history, what they've done is terrible. And so I hope, frankly, I hope there are others, because you can't let this happen to a country.
The president is also pushing for charges against Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Legal scholars warn this represents a fundamental break from decades of precedent meant to insulate the Justice Department from political interference. Inside the Justice Department, attorneys are resigning in protest. My guest today is legal scholar Barbara McQuaid. In 2017, she was among the U.S. attorneys forced to resign under the Trump administration. Today, she's a professor at the University of Michigan Law School and author of Attack from Within, How Disinformation is Sabotaging America, and the forthcoming book, The Fix, Saving America from the Corruption of Mob-Style Government.
Barbara McQuaid. Welcome to Fresh Air. Thanks very much, Tanya. Glad to be here with you. Barbara, I want to play something from this past Friday on Fox News. It's from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. She was on Sean Hannity's show. And in this exchange that I'm about to play, she lays out who could be targeted for investigation under this administration. Let's listen.
Whether you're a former FBI director, whether you're a former head of an Intel community, whether you are a current state or local elected official, whether you're a billionaire funding organizations to try to keep Donald Trump out of office, everything is on the table. We will investigate you and we will end the weaponization. No longer will there be a two tier system of justice. And we are working hand in hand, Director Patel and I, Todd Blanch, with our incredible intel community, Tulsi Gabbard, John Radcliffe, going nonstop around the clock.
How does the indictment of James Comey reflect on the rule of law?
People will be held accountable.
That was U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi talking to Sean Hannity. And as we heard her say, everything is on the table. She framed it as ending weaponization. But Barbara, what she's describing is the Justice Department being used to go after political enemies. I'll start there by asking you as a legal scholar, what is your reaction to her statements?
It is so profoundly wrong and it makes me not only upset and angry, but very sad. I spent almost 20 years of my life working for the Department of Justice during a time when it was the North Star that you do not use federal prosecution to go after political rivals. There is a provision in the
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:08
2
What is the main topic of President Trump's campaign against his political enemies?
0:08–1:02
3
What actions has the DOJ taken against George Soros' Open Society Foundations?
1:02–3:40
4
How does the indictment of James Comey reflect on the rule of law?
3:40–9:52
5
What are the implications of the DOJ being used to target political rivals?
9:52–11:54
6
How does Barbara McQuade view the weaponization of the Justice Department?
11:54–12:14
7
What norms were established post-Watergate to protect the DOJ from political interference?
12:14–14:59
8
What are the potential consequences for state officials challenging the president?
14:59–45:12
Speakers
6 identifiedMore from Fresh Air
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