Americans expect justice to be blind. When President Trump orders Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James — despite prosecutors finding no solid evidence — that is not blind justice, it is political payback. The Department of Justice must serve the law, not the personal grudges of any president.
History warns us where this road leads. In 2006, the Bush administration fired nine U.S. Attorneys for refusing to bend to political pressure. An Inspector General report confirmed those firings were improper and politically motivated, leading to the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. That scandal damaged public trust and embarrassed our country. Today, Trump is repeating and escalating that abuse — pressuring prosecutors, forcing out those who won’t bring weak cases, and ordering indictments against his critics.
The latest example is clear. Trump pushed out U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert after he found no grounds to charge Letitia James. In his place, Trump installed Lindsey Halligan — his own former personal lawyer, who defended him in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. That is not independence, it is cronyism, and it makes DOJ look like the President’s private law office instead of the people’s.
Whether one agrees with Letitia James or not is beside the point. If presidents can order prosecutions of their political opponents, then no citizen is safe from retaliation. Once this precedent is set, it will be used against anyone who falls out of favor with those in power. That is not freedom, it is control by intimidation.
Congress must hold hearings, defend DOJ independence, and pass legislation to ensure no president can weaponize prosecutions. Our Republic depends on the rule of law — not the whims of one man.
First sent on September 21 by Coleman
