Trump Justice Department tells prosecutors to brace for ‘wartime’ footing ahead of Democratic investigations

Detailed summary

The department had until now managed to avoid scrutiny from the majority party

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Democrats' sweeping gains in Congress have redrawn the balance of power in Washington, setting up an expected onslaught of investigations into the Justice Department's conduct.

Until now, the department had managed to avoid scrutiny from the majority party.

For nearly two years it has functioned as an extension of the White House, unchecked by a Republican-controlled Congress as it pursued investigations into President Donald Trump's enemies, fired waves of career employees and defended administration stances that judges across the country repeatedly deemed legally dubious.

The department has, at least publicly, appeared unbowed by the altered landscape. Attorney General Todd Blanche says the department will cooperate with Congress but has also insisted that “we will not back down” from the Republican president's agenda.

A top aide told prosecutors on a call to prepare for "wartime" footing, and a U.S. attorney publicly warned a top Democrat about planned congressional investigations. The stage is set for a pugilistic dynamic, with Democrats promising to join already-skeptical courts in reining in the Trump administration. The Justice Department, depleted by the loss of thousands of career employees and the post-election departures of senior leaders, pledges to push its agenda forward.

Even though Democrats hold the gavel, they lack foolproof ways to guarantee Republican cooperation.

Lawsuits can take years, and subpoenas can be arduous to enforce. Criminal contempt referrals for noncompliance would go to the Trump administration Justice Department, where they almost certainly won't be acted on. “It’s a standoff and I don’t know what the answer to that is yet,” said Stan Brand, a former general counsel for the House of Representatives. “I don’t know if the Congress knows.”

Nonetheless, Democrats are eager to highlight what they view as abuses of power.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Independent. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.