Justice Department Employees Speak Out: A Wave of Resignations and Fires

A growing number of employees are leaving the Justice Department. Some are resigning, others are being fired, and many are retiring. This wave of departures has reached over 5, 000 people since January. A group called Justice Connection is collecting and sharing the farewell messages of these employees. These messages reveal a lot about what's happening inside the department. Some employees express fear and concern about the future. Others praise their colleagues and the work they did. Many of the messages are from high-profile leaders who are worried about the direction the department is taking. One former prosecutor, Maurene Comey, wrote a powerful message. She warned that fear can be used as a tool to control people. She urged her colleagues not to let fear stop them from doing their jobs. Comey even sued the Trump administration, saying her firing was illegal and unconstitutional. Another employee, Hagan Scotten, resigned after the Justice Department dropped a case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In his farewell message, Scotten criticized the decision and said he would never file a motion that he didn't believe in. Patty Hartman, who was fired from her communications position, shared her message to clear her name. She said she wanted to publicly acknowledge her illegal termination because so many others were experiencing the same thing. She also expressed her frustration and anger about what was happening. Michael Romano, a prosecutor who worked on the January 6 cases, resigned in March. In his message, he talked about the importance of the rule of law. He said that many rioters believed the law didn't apply to them. Romano wanted his colleagues to know that he stood by the work they did. Meredith Burrell, a former civil rights office attorney, wrote about the contrast between her 25 years of service and the last four months. She talked about the responsibility of using the power of the federal government to protect the rights of marginalized people. Other messages are more positive. Greg Rosen, who resigned in May, praised his colleagues and the officers who protected the Capitol. Sybil Barksdale, a former official in the Office of Violence against Women, wrote about her dedication to justice and protecting the most vulnerable. A resigned FBI analyst shared a simple but powerful message. They said that if something is wrong, unjust, or unethical, you should speak up. Sometimes, that means saying "no. "