The Justice Department's Shake-Up: What's Really Happening?

The Justice Department (DoJ) is going through big changes. Some say these changes are not good. The number of lawyers working there has dropped a lot. About 5, 500 lawyers and other workers have left since the current administration started. This includes people who were fired, quit, or took early retirement. The DoJ used to have around 10, 000 lawyers, but now there are fewer. Top officials, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, have removed many lawyers they thought were not supportive. About 20 lawyers who were working on cases related to the January 6th Capitol attack have been let go. This attack happened when a mob tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden as president. It resulted in several deaths. On his first day in office, the president granted pardons to over 1, 500 people involved in the Capitol attack. These people were either convicted or charged for their roles in the event. With fewer experienced prosecutors, some important work at the DoJ has slowed down. The civil rights division has been hit hard. It has lost 70% of its staff since the administration started. This division used to have 600 lawyers and staff. Experts are worried about the impact of these changes. Stacey Young, who used to work at the DoJ, says the situation is bad and getting worse. She believes it will take a long time to fix the damage being done. Other former DoJ employees share her concerns. They worry that the loss of experienced lawyers will make it harder to fight crime and protect national security. The eastern district of Virginia, known for its work on white-collar and national security crimes, has also seen changes. The current administration has been pushing to prosecute some of the president's political enemies. This has led to the resignation and firing of several veteran lawyers in that office. The civil rights division's priorities have also changed. Instead of focusing on protecting voting rights and investigating police misconduct, it has shifted to other areas. For example, it has started aggressively enforcing rules on college campuses related to protest activities. The voting section of the DoJ has also seen changes. Its mission now seems more aligned with the president's political agenda. For instance, the DoJ has supported a redistricting plan in Texas that could help the Republican party in the 2026 midterms. At the same time, it has challenged a redistricting plan in California that could help Democrats. The public integrity section, which investigates corruption, has also been weakened. The number of lawyers working there has dropped from about 30 to just two. Some say this is because the administration has dropped major corruption cases and granted clemency to people convicted of corrupt acts. Experts warn that these changes will have serious consequences. They believe the DoJ's ability to fight crime and protect the public will be weakened. They also worry that the DoJ is being used for political purposes, which could undermine its historic mission.