justice Department Exodus: Ousted Employees Warn of ‘threat to Democracy’ in Farewell Messages
A growing number of former Justice department officials are publicly sharing farewell messages detailing concerns over political interference and a deteriorating environment within the agency, with some warning of a direct “threat to democracy.”
Amid a wave of firings, resignations, and retirements, the institution Justice Connection has curated an online collection of these messages, revealing a pattern of anxieties among career attorneys and leaders. Since January, the Justice Department has seen over 5,000 employees depart, according to Stacey Young, founder and executive director of Justice Connection and a former civil division attorney.
James Comey. Fired earlier this year, Comey wrote, “If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain… Do not let that happen.” She continued, stating that “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress self-reliant thought,” urging colleagues to “fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place.” Comey subsequently filed a lawsuit in September alleging her ouster was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The concerns extend beyond individual cases.Hagan Scotten, who resigned from the U.S. AttorneyS Office for the Southern District of New York, left a scathing farewell message after Justice Department leaders intervened to halt the prosecution of New York City Mayor Eric Adams.Scotten warned colleagues,”If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice,then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool,or enough of a coward,to file your motion… But it was never going to be me.”
Other departures highlight the abrupt and unsettling nature of the changes. Patty Hartman, fired in april from her communications position in the U.S.Attorney’s Office for Washington, D.C., described her termination as unexpected and immediate, resulting in the loss of access to her government-issued devices. “The people in charge who are supposed to protect us-our fellow Americans who we elected, along with those who were appointed, and swore an OATH to protect this nation and our Constitution-now use the Constitution as a weapon to suit their own ends,” hartman wrote in her farewell message. she told CBS News she felt compelled to publicly acknowledge her “illegal termination” because so many others were experiencing similar fates, adding, “I was pissed off.”
The Justice Department declined to comment on the firings, resignations, or the online farewell messages.
The impact of these departures is felt across various divisions.Michael Romano, a prosecutor who worked on cases stemming from the January 6th Capitol insurrection, emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law in his resignation message. He recalled how some rioters viewed their relationship with law enforcement as “transactional,” believing past support entitled them to leniency. “They expected, in other words, that the rule of law did not apply to them,” Romano wrote. “And, but for the work of the Capitol Siege Section, they would have been right.” Romano stated he wanted his colleagues to witness his stand for the work they had done.
Meredith Burrell, a former civil rights office attorney, expressed her struggle reconciling her 25 years of dedicated service with the recent shifts within the department. Greg Rosen, who resigned in May as head of the unit prosecuting january 6th cases, praised the unwavering commitment to the rule of law demonstrated by his colleagues and thanked the law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol. Sybil Barksdale, a former official in the Office of Violence against women, highlighted the dedication to justice she witnessed throughout her career.
Even an anonymous FBI analyst offered a message of defiance,writing,”If I learned anything in the FBI,it is that yes,you can say no. If something is wrong, unjust, or unethical, you speak up, and sometimes speaking up means saying ‘no.'”
The collection of farewell messages, now preserved by Justice Connection, serves as a stark reminder of the anxieties and ethical dilemmas faced by those who served within the Justice Department during a period of significant upheaval. .
Related reading
- Rescission Packages, Explained: The Route Trump Bypassed (daybreakwire.com)
