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Justice Connection

@justiceconnection.bsky.social
3.3K followers 110 following 896 posts

We're a network of Justice Department alumni mobilizing to protect DOJ’s apolitical workforce and uphold the rule of law.

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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
DOJ has failed to act on its internal watchdog’s call for clear rules to keep investigations from influencing elections. Now the midterms are five weeks away and the DOJ OIG is one again raising the need for this guidance to be in place. DOJ should heed that call and strengthen its election policy.
news.bloomberglaw.com
Watchdog Warns DOJ It Lacks Policy on Influencing Elections (1)
The Justice Department’s internal watchdog has elevated a longstanding concern that prosecutors and agents need clearer guidance on which investigative steps are permissible to avoid affecting an elec...
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Kash Patel keeps taking credit for the country’s low homicide rate, even though it has very little to do with the FBI. Read Justice Connection’s latest Substack piece from FBI veteran Frank Montoya Jr. on how misleading claims undermine agents’ trust with state and local partners.
justiceconnection.substack.com
Kash Patel Keeps Taking Credit for the Drop in Violent Crime and Other Agencies’ Arrests. That’s a Big Problem.
Patel’s lack of candor will damage the FBI’s relationship with state and local partners.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Blanche appeared to suggest that DOJ can violate court orders when it believes an order is counter to Supreme Court precedent. That's incorrect. Even if DOJ believes a judge is wrong, it's bound to follow that order while it appeals. The rule of law only survives when judicial orders are followed.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Stacey Young is one of Equal Justice Works' 40x40 Alumni Changemakers! Her fellowship helped launch a career in public service – like Equal Justice Works fellowships have for thousands of lawyers – that continues today through Justice Connection’s work supporting DOJ employees.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
DOJ told a court its Community Relations Service was still operating. The White House says it shut it down. Washington Litigation Group is exposing that contradiction and fighting to preserve the public servants’ work preventing violence.
washingtonlitigationgroup.org
New Filing Proves White House Illegally Shuttered Civil Rights Agency, Contradicting DOJ’s Assurances in Court | Washington Litigation Group
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 29, 2026 — Today, Washington Litigation Group asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to add a striking admission by Donald Trump’s White House to…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
For decades, DOJ’s election monitors have helped protect voters’ access to the ballot. Now, it’s recasting their focus on voter fraud claims, raising concerns about voter intimidation. In our latest Substack, Red Line for Civil Rights explains what these monitors can and can’t do:
justiceconnection.substack.com
Inside DOJ’s Election Monitoring Program, Past and Present
Red Line for Civil Rights explains what election monitors can and can’t do.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Jack Smith’s testimony to the Senate is a reminder of who serves at DOJ. His team devoted their lives to seeking justice, and he described working alongside them as the greatest honor of his life. We’re proud to stand with them.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
We hear every day from DOJ employees wrestling with what it means to uphold their oath under this administration. The New Yorker brings some of those stories to light in this important story about the destruction inside DOJ.
newyorker.com
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Government lawyers who think that the Trump Administration is subverting justice are facing a quandary: Should they stay or should they go?
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Jack Smith warns that the rule of law “is rarely destroyed all at once.” It is chipped away by attacks on the institutions and public servants sworn to protect it. Speaking to Congress today, Smith condemns the targeting of members of his team simply for doing their jobs and upholding the law.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The former lead DOJ prosecutor in a case against anti-ICE protesters, Sheri Mecklenburg, resigned this week. In her resignation, she accused U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros of scapegoating her for a prosecution he directed.
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/us/chicago-federal-prosecutor-resigns-broadview-six.html
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Federal workers facing discrimination deserve a fair hearing. The Trump administration wants to strip away that right. In our latest Substack, former EEOC Commissioners Jocelyn Samuels and Chai Feldblum explain this attack on federal workers’ rights: justiceconnection.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
“There are some extraordinarily brave people on the inside who are taking enormous risks to do the right thing.” Justice Connection’s Stacey Young spoke with @newyorker.com about the courage of DOJ lawyers who resigned and those still holding the line from within.
newyorker.com
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Government lawyers who think that the Trump Administration is subverting justice are facing a quandary: Should they stay or should they go?
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
DOJ offices are facing a surge of cases after thousands of career lawyers have left the Department, leaving the remaining workforce struggling. “This situation is untenable,” our founder Stacey Young told @thehill.com.
thehill.com
Internal DOJ charts show agency bleeding staff as caseloads surge
A drastically diminished Justice Department workforce is struggling to keep up with its civil side caseloads, according to documents obtained by The Hill and NewsNation. A series of charts, apparen…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Immigration cases are overwhelming DOJ attorneys. Our data dashboard reveals the scale. In our latest Substack, former DOJ immigration litigation chief David McConnell examines the growing caseloads using our newly available data and the strain on a depleted department.
justiceconnection.substack.com
Immigration Cases Drive Crushing Workloads for DOJ Attorneys in Trump’s Second Term
Data shows that immigration cases are now the majority of civil and criminal caseloads in U.S. Attorney’s Offices
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Today, Justice Connection launched a new data tool that makes it dramatically easier to understand what’s happening inside U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and evaluate the administration’s claims against DOJ’s own data.
thejusticeconnection.org
Justice Connection
The only public dashboard bringing transparency to case data from Department of Justice. Follow the data to hold DOJ accountable to their numbers.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This is why DOJ’s public integrity work matters. It protects taxpayers from politicians accused of steering millions to contractors in exchange for campaign contributions. This admin has dismantled that work, undermining the expectation that elected officials follow the same laws as everyone else.
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
53 former DOJ staff and Justice Connection Alumni Network members are sounding the alarm in court about Trump profiting off selling early access to his Truth Social posts.
cbsnews.com
Ex-federal prosecutors say Trump media company's scheme to sell early access to Truth Social posts is likely criminal
Trump Media & Technology recently launched a Truth Social API data feed, charging $100,000 for "real-time access to posts from the highest-ranking Truth Social accounts."
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Five former FBI leaders, including our advisory board member Brian Dugan, warn that downgrading the Norfolk Field Office threatens our national security. They’re urging Congress to halt the move before it harms the communities and military installations the office protects.
pilotonline.com
Column: Downgrading the FBI office in Norfolk poses a national security risk
If a consolidation is truly necessary, Richmond could be a resident agency of Norfolk, five former leaders of the Norfolk FBI Field Office write in a guest column.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Political revenge against scientists puts all of our health at risk. In our latest Substack, DOJ alum Bert Brandenburg explains how a sham prosecution of Dr. Fauci could silence experts. justiceconnection.substack.com/p/anthony-fa...
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Prosecutors and agents voicing opinions without risk of reprisal is essential to the department’s functioning, said Justice Connection’s Stacey Young. “Right now, too many believe that speaking up can jeopardize their career, financial stability, and reputation.”
google.com
Blanche Gets Pushback From DOJ Staffers He’s Trying to Win Over
Several career Justice Department prosecutors recently confronted Attorney General Todd Blanche about politically motivated firings and low morale during a closed-door meet-and-greet in Atlanta,…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The @nytimes.com highlights Justice Connection’s piece from former DOJ ethics chief Joseph Tirrell’s explaining why Blanche’s Republican convention speech created an improper appearance of partisanship.
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/us/politics/todd-blanche-doj-midterm-elections.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
DOJ’s power belongs to the American people. Justice Connection’s Peter Carr told @nbcnews.com that before Blanche, he had “never seen an attorney general that is so willing to use his position in a blatantly partisan way.”
nbcnews.com
‘Seismic shift’: Todd Blanche’s political appearances shatter another DOJ norm
Justice Department veterans say the attorney general’s recent political activities fuel the appearance of a lack of independence from the White House.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Violations of court orders in MN “created a grave threat to the rule of law,” said Judge Schiltz, the Bush-appointed Chief Judge who led the Minnesota federal court through Operation Metro Surge. He and six other judges warn breakdowns in the rule of law will lead to anarchy or authoritarianism.
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/us/politics/minnesota-judge-trump-immigration.html
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This Constitution Day, Justice Connection reaffirms our commitment to the oath we took to uphold the Constitution and to the DOJ employees who honor it, even at great personal cost. Standing with them is central to our mission.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
FBI Director Patel blatantly misled Congress yesterday about employees he fired for investigating Trump. He previously testified under oath that no one would be terminated for case assignments, then fired more than 20 who worked on those cases without due process.
thejusticeconnection.org
FBI Director Continues to Mislead Congress About Trump Prosecution Firings - Justice Connection
Justice Connection condemns FBI Director Kash Patel’s evasive and misleading testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday about personnel he terminated because they were assigned to inves...
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
DOJ’s former top ethics attorney Joseph Tirrell says Todd Blanche’s partisan convention speech warrants a Hatch Act investigation. In Justice Connection’s latest Substack, he explains why claiming a “personal capacity” doesn’t settle the question. Read it here:
justiceconnection.substack.com
The Attorney General Spoke at the RNC. Was It a Hatch Act Violation?
Todd Blanche’s appearance at a convention built around cash-for-votes promises, loyalty pledges, and calls to “cheat like hell” was not politics as usual. It warrants investigation.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Director Patel wouldn’t say who won the 2020 election. Then he refused to pledge he wouldn’t interfere with voters’ will in November, calling the question a “charade of lies.” Americans deserve law enforcement leaders who can commit to respecting their votes.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
A major case before the Federal Circuit could give this administration sweeping power to fire career federal employees, including for political or otherwise unlawful reasons. Justice Connection’s latest piece explains why Jackler v. MSPB could reshape the civil service for generations.
justiceconnection.substack.com
Career Civil Servants Are Being Fired for Any Reason or No Reason, Including Illegal Reasons
DOJ employees challenging their terminations are on the front lines of the fight over the President’s power to overhaul the civil service.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Less than half of the 102 arrested for felony assault during last summer’s immigration protests resulted in a conviction. Only nine received prison time. DOJ leadership’s push to overcharge without sufficient evidence does not serve justice.
apnews.com
https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protests-prosecutions-doj-arrests-54db940f84a0e89c61ba53a2eed43a25
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Immigration Judge Chloe Dillon was fired by DOJ two days after she reported ICE’s unlawful detention of an unaccompanied minor. Now she’s fighting back with help from an attorney in Justice Connection’s legal network. No judge should lose their job for upholding the law.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Twenty-five years after 9/11, we honor those we lost and the public servants who worked to keep us safe. DOJ’s National Security Division has since lost nearly 38% of its staff under this administration. Gutting that expertise puts us all at risk.
washingtonpost.com
After 9/11, the U.S. built an anti-terror apparatus. Trump is using it at home.
Former officials worry about waning attention to international terrorism and other threats.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
After 23 straight losses in court, DOJ is resorting to intimidation tactics to obtain election records it has no right to have.
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/us/politics/department-of-justice-election-fraud-states.html
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“The American people must trust that the department’s legal judgments are impartial and insulated from politics,” said Justice Connection’s Stacey Young.
washingtonsun.com
Blanche Departs From DOJ Norms With a Speech at Republican Convention
The Justice Department said the attorney general’s appearance is in his “personal capacity” and had been “approved by ethics.”
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
“The constitution makes clear that the president has no authority over the administration of our elections, but that hasn’t stopped this president, or those he put in power at the justice department, from trying to interfere,” said Justice Connection’s Stacey Young.
theguardian.com
Legal veterans lead fightback against Trump’s ‘full-out assault on democracy’
Advocacy groups expand legal challenges and condemn president’s ‘self-serving attempts to take over midterms’
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Todd Blanche is the Attorney General of the United States. His job is to enforce the law, not turn the Justice Department into a political prop at the first-ever RNC Midterm Convention. The Hatch Act exists for a reason.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Justice Connection is here for DOJ employees who need support, offering free legal assistance, mental health care, career support, & help telling their stories publicly. If you know a current or former DOJ employee who could use our help, share this with them: www.thejusticeconnection.org/resources
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This admin's "flood the zone" strategy makes it hard to keep up with attacks on the rule of law. That's why we built the DOJ Tracker. In August’s update, Justice Connection breaks down the erosion of DOJ oversight, cuts to FBI legal staff, and more: justiceconnection.substack.com/p/doj-tracke...
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A DOJ prosecutor fought to bring civil rights charges against an ICE agent accused of shooting a man and lying about it. DOJ leadership stopped him. Now, he's been fired. The message to every career prosecutor is unmistakable: Your job depends on falling in line.
wsj.com
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/ice-officer-charged-with-lying-about-shooting-ba5f7aca?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
"After driving out thousands of career employees, DOJ has struggled to fill those positions for many reasons—including the fact that no one wants to be ordered to conduct politically driven investigations that are often unethical, illegal or unconstitutional," said Justice Connection’s Stacey Young.
cbsnews.com
At the FBI, a history of hiring prostitutes or stealing from employer may no longer be a barrier to being hired
In June, the FBI quietly lowered some of the standards it uses when it conducts background checks on would-be federal agents and other personnel.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Trump has made billions off the presidency while proposing to cut pay raises that help federal workers keep up with inflation. His disdain for the civil service is unparalleled.
govexec.com
Trump formally proposes pay freeze for most federal workers, 3.8% increase for law enforcement
In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the president claimed that denying the federal workforce a pay raise will not hurt agency recruitment and retention efforts.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Earlier this month, news broke that federal agents surveilled Minnesotans during Operation Metro Surge. Justice Connection's Stacey Young talked with The SpinSisters about DOJ’s role, what’s normal, and the reforms we need to protect First Amendment rights.
youtube.com
Surveillance State
Mary and Tara speak with Stacey Young of Justice Connection and Professor of Law, Jessica West about issues of surveillance and constitutional law, highlighting the challenges in regulating federal…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Our letter to the Senate opposing Todd Blanche’s nomination cited the culture of fear that he instilled. @talkingfeds.bsky.social discusses the consequences of that to our democracy and national security now that Blanche is AG.
talkingfeds.com
YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET — Talking Feds
The start of the Todd Blanche era at the Department of Justice also marks the start of the video era at Talking Feds. Ken Dilanian, Frank Figliuzzi, and Katie Phang join Harry in technicolor (on…
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
One thing that often gets lost in the coverage of DOJ is that there are still good people there doing good work. But they are working under unthinkably difficult situations, as Stacey Young said on Forking Off. That’s why Justice Connection was started.
forkingoff.com
Stacey Young Connects Us All
America used to value its public servants; it used to follow through on promises made to them, and it's not doing that.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
“Lawmakers, especially those who voted for Blanche despite their reservations, must make clear that confirmation does not equal free reign,” executive director Stacey Young wrote in an op-ed for @govexec.bsky.social. Congress must start meaningfully exercising its oversight powers.
govexec.com
Blanche is confirmed. Now Congress needs to hold him accountable
COMMENTARY | A former Justice Department staffer argues that Congress must protect whistleblowers and demand answers when the agency crosses the line.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
As DOJ attorneys are increasingly cited for grand jury misconduct across the country, it’s important to remember that grand jurors have the power to question the government’s impartiality and independently investigate crimes. This @justsecurity.org article lays out how.
justsecurity.org
Sword of the People: The Power of Grand Juries to Investigate Administration Corruption
The untold power of regular grand juries and special grand juries to conduct investigations and issue reports when federal prosecutors won't.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Ed Martin’s tenure as Interim U.S. Attorney and Weaponization Working Group head was marked by vindictive prosecutions and outlandish investigative practices. Good riddance.
cbsnews.com
Ed Martin, controversial pardon attorney at DOJ, leaving Trump administration
Ed Martin, the pro-Trump lawyer who has been at the center of several controversies, is departing the administration, the president announced.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
A call from the President forced DOJ to pull out of the Live Nation/Ticketmaster trial that was years in the making. @WSJ.com provides an inside look at how consumers lost out on competitive ticket pricing because of political interference.
wsj.com
https://www.wsj.com/business/media/trump-live-nation-antitrust-doj-f82b2c55
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Nearly 20,000 DOJ employees have left since the start of this administration, many of them fired or pushed out. If you’re a current or former DOJ employee in need of legal support, we’re here to help:
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
“We don't see the exodus of career employees slowing down. And I don't expect that we will unless Todd Blanche implements a course correction.” Stacey Young warns that DOJ’s loss of top career talent is draining irreplaceable expertise from the Department.
law.com
As White-Collar Prosecutions Fall, AG Blanche Expected to Follow Trump Status Quo | Law.com
"They've all but abandoned white-collar enforcement to focus on street crime and lawfare; I don't expect that to change," noted one practitioner.
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Justice Connection @justiceconnection.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
DOJ investigations with “predetermined” outcomes and no regard for the evidence are not law enforcement. They’re political pressure campaigns. Grateful to former DOJ civil rights attorney Haley Van Erem and @govacctproj.bsky.social for bringing this abuse to light.
nytimes.com
Trump Officials Ignored Their Own University Investigations, Lawyer Says
A former Justice Department lawyer says Trump administration leaders ignored findings that elite schools, including Brown and Columbia, hadn’t broken the law as they pressed them into deals.
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