DOJ: New Savings Account for Trump's Worst Ideas
The Hill reports 'fears grow' that the Department of Justice could be leveraged by a future Trump administration for 'lucrative settlements' benefitting his cronies. This, they argue, transforms the DOJ into a personal 'piggy bank.' It's a valid concern about potential corruption, yet a stunning display of amnesia when it comes to the bipartisan tradition of the DOJ serving political ends. Where
was this outrage when Attorney General William Barr actively intervened to reduce the sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, a long-time Trump confidante, echoing calls from the President himself in February 2020? Or when Barr launched multiple investigations into the origins of the 2016 Russia probe, which critics alleged were politically motivated to discredit the FBI? The real scandal isn't
merely the 'piggy bank' function, which, let's be frank, has had many administrators. It's the selective media outrage that only sparks when the 'wrong' politician does the 'wrong' thing. The idea that justice is for sale or for political favor is hardly new. One might ask if the DOJ's primary function has, at times, shifted from unbiased justice to a tool for political vendettas or, more broadly,
to protect establishment power. How many 'lucrative settlements' have quietly benefited corporate allies under various administrations, avoiding scrutiny because they didn't involve a reality TV star?