Hundreds of former Justice Department employees accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the department ahead of AG Pam Bondis congressional hearing today.
A wide variety of ex-staffers who left the DOJ in this years mass exodus signed a letter Monday claiming the department is being used to target Trumps enemies.
The Justice Department cannot uphold the rule of law when it carries out the Presidents retribution campaign and protects his allies, the letter said.
Bondi is set to face a grilling from the Senate Judiciary Committee - her first hearing since taking office - over growing questions about political influence over the Justice Department.
It comes as the country enters day seven of the government shutdown, where Senate Democrats and Republicans seem to be at an impasse over a funding bill.
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Ex-DOJ staffers accuse Pam Bondi of weaponizing the department
Nearly 300 former DOJ employees published a letter accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the department on Monday.
In the letter, the ex-staffers claim they left the department 'because of actions taken by this administration.'
They argued that the DOJ is failing 'to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights' on all three fronts.
'The Justice Department cannot uphold the rule of law when it carries out the President’s retribution campaign and protects his allies,' the letter said.
'It also cannot keep our country safe when it ousts FBI employees, prosecutors, national security experts, and ATF officials.
'And it cannot protect civil rights when it drives out 75 percent of attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and refuses to enforce the nation’s civil rights laws as Congress intended, using them instead as a cudgel against marginalized groups.'
The letter was published ahead of Attorney General Pam Bondi's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled for today.
She is expected to face a grilling over growing questions about political influence in the Justice Department.
Trump to meet with Canadian PM today
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
Carney shared a video of his arrival in Washington on social media.
'Arrived in Washington. We’re here to keep building a new economic and security relationship with the United States — one that empowers our workers and businesses with greater certainty and new opportunities,' he said.
US enters day 7 of government shutdown
The widespread shutdown in Washington entered its seventh day on Tuesday after the Senate rejected another House bill, keeping Trump at odds with Democrats as he seeks to reopen the government.
The House-passed bill was rejected Monday night, getting only 52 of the 60 needed votes to be sent to Donald Trump's desk.
