The recent mass resignation of seven federal prosecutors in the Public Integrity Section has sent shockwaves through Washington, with many fearing that the Justice Department (DOJ) is being subverted by President Trump’s allies.
The resignations come as Attorney General Pam Bondi and her appointees have been pushing to drop a pending criminal indictment against a prominent politician for “nakedly political reasons.” The move has sparked outrage among Democrats, who see it as an attempt to use the DOJ as a tool of political revenge.
“This is an extraordinary development,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). “Trump and [Attorney General Pam] Bondi are turning the DOJ into a cesspool of political corruption.”
The recent resignations have been compared to the infamous Saturday Night Massacre of 1973, in which President Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox. When Richardson refused, he resigned, followed by his deputy William Ruckelshaus.
But this time, it’s not just a few high-ranking officials who are pushing back. The resignations involve more than seven lawyers, including some of the most senior prosecutors in the Public Integrity Section.
“It has instigated a mass revolt at the professional level,” said Stanley Brand, a former counsel to the House of Representatives who represented one of Trump’s co-defendants in his classified documents case.
The controversy highlights the tensions between the DOJ and the White House. The recent resignations have raised questions about whether the administration is trying to use the DOJ as a tool of political control.
“This is not how the law should be,” said former counsel Stanley Brand. “You take an oath to uphold the law without fear or favor, and this was being done as a political favor with a quid pro quo that ‘you will help us on immigration, and we’ll help you on your criminal case.'”
The incident has sparked outrage among Democrats and civil rights groups, who see it as a threat to the rule of law. The recent resignations have also raised questions about whether the administration is trying to subvert the DOJ.
As one former DOJ official noted, “You can’t just pick up and leave because you don’t like what’s happening in Washington. You have to do what your oath says – uphold the law.”
The incident has sparked a heated debate about the role of the DOJ and its relationship with the White House. It remains to be seen how the administration will respond, but one thing is certain: the recent resignations have sent a clear message that something needs to change at the DOJ.
“This is not just about one case or one person,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD). “This is about whether we’re going to stand up for the rule of law and hold our leaders accountable, or if we’re going to let them get away with it.”
The recent resignations have raised questions about the future of the DOJ and its relationship with the White House. It remains to be seen how the administration will respond, but one thing is certain: the recent mass resignation of federal prosecutors has sent a clear message that something needs to change.
“The big deal was the sense that you take an oath to uphold the law without fear or favor,” said former counsel Stanley Brand. “This was being done as a political favor with a quid pro quo that ‘you will help us on immigration, and we’ll help you on your criminal case.'”
The incident has sparked outrage among Democrats and civil rights groups, who see it as a threat to the rule of law. The recent resignations have also raised questions about whether the administration is trying to subvert the DOJ.
As one former DOJ official noted, “You can’t just pick up and leave because you don’t like what’s happening in Washington. You have to do what your oath says – uphold the law.”
The incident has sparked a heated debate about the role of the DOJ and its relationship with the White House. It remains to be seen how the administration will respond, but one thing is certain: the recent resignations have sent a clear message that something needs to change at the DOJ.
“This is not just about one case or one person,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD). “This is about whether we’re going to stand up for the rule of law and hold our leaders accountable, or if we’re going to let them get away with it.”
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/15/mass-resignation-marks-new-kind-defiance-second-trump-era