April 28, 2018: President Trump Explains the Job of the Department of Justice

 

4/28/18: Edward Levi, appointed by President Gerald Ford to lead the Department of Justice in the wake of the Watergate scandals, once made clear his understanding of his role. “Our law is not an instrument of partisan purpose.” It cannot become “anyone’s weapon.” 

Unfortunately, President Trump has made it clear that the rule of law is an impediment in his path. If he had his way, he said during his campaign, he’d lock Hillary up as soon as he finished reciting the oath of office. Earlier this month he warned that former F.B.I. Director James Comey should be thrown in jail. 

Trial first, anyone? 

Nah. Not in Trumpistan.

 

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“And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest.” 

President Trump

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In an interview with The New York Times last December, Trump made clear what he believed the main job of the Department of Justice was. First, he whined about his Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Sessions’ failure to protect him from investigation. If only Sessions would do for him what he imagined – in an obvious case of projection – Attorney General Eric Holder had done for President Obama. “I don’t want to get into loyalty,” Trump responded to a question about whether or not he had ever asked law enforcement officials for loyalty, “but I will tell you that, I will say this: Holder protected President Obama. Totally protected him. When you look at the things that they did, and Holder protected the president. And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest.” 

In other words: forget the rule of law. 

Trump would have great respect for anyone in the Department of Justice if they “totally protected him.”

Attorney General Eric Holder.

 

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PERIODICALLY, USA TODAY checks in with a group of voters who cast ballots for Trump in 2016. Most still love him even though most believe the president is lying about Stormy Daniels. 

“I’m not in the man’s pants. I don’t know what he did when he pulled them down,” says Monty Chandler, a disabled veteran from Church Point, Louisiana. “The only evidence is her, the hush money. We’re human. We all sin. And he tried to cover it up.” 

Oddly enough, Chandler believes Trump when he says the Russian investigation is a witch hunt.