Attorney General Merrick Garland is doing damage control after political bias as the Department of Justice was exposed in recent months.
In a letter sent to DOJ staff Tuesday afternoon, Garland barred the participation of Department non-career employees (political appointees by the president) in political events, including those of family members.
"As Department employees, we have been entrusted with the authority and responsibility to enforce the laws of the United States in a neutral and impartial manner. In fulfilling this responsibility, we must do all we can to maintain public trust and ensure that politics -- both in fact and appearance -- does not compromise or affect the integrity of our work. It is with this objective in mind that I call your attention to the following new restrictions," Garland wrote. "Although longstanding Department policy has permitted non-career appointees to attend partisan political events, e.g. fundraisers and campaign events, in their personal capacities if they participated passively and obtained prior approval, under the new policy, non-career appointees may not participate in any partisan political even in any capacity. This restriction applies to both public and non-public partisan events."
"In the past, when the Department has further limited attendance at partisan political events during Presidential election years, it has allowed an exception for non-career appointees who had close family members who were running for partisan offices, or similar situations The new policy permits no exceptions," the memo continues. "Prior Department policy has allowed non-career employees to passively attend campaign events and other partisan political events in their personal capacities on the evening of Election Day. Under the new policy, non-career appointees may not attend partisan political event, event on the evening of Election Day."
Yesterday it was announced FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault was escorted out of headquarters in Washington D.C. after whistleblowers revealed he was protecting Hunter Biden from scrutiny and helped bury the laptop story during the 2020 presidential election.
Top FBI Agent Who Reportedly Shielded Hunter Biden From Criminal Investigations Has Resigned https://t.co/jYhjBZCbcB
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 30, 2022
The new regulations come after Garland was caught classifying parents at school board meetings as "extremists" and "domestic terrorists" earlier this year. The move also comes just weeks after the FBI raided former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. Trump is a potential 2024 political rival for President Joe Biden.