Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s attacks on the legitimacy of America’s legal system are growing increasingly dangerous and brazen, according to a new column from the Center for American Progress.
After almost all Republican senators failed to be a check on serious government corruption during the recent impeachment trial, Trump has repeatedly exhibited his willingness to abuse the power of his office, the column says. But involving himself in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recommended sentencing of Roger Stone, a convicted federal criminal—and Trump’s close political ally—was perhaps the most flagrant display of how little respect the president and his administration have for American democracy.
“An independent DOJ and judiciary are essential to the well-being of American justice,” said Maggie Jo Buchanan, director of Legal Progress at CAP and author of the column. “But it’s clear that post-impeachment, Trump feels as if he has been given a green light to escalate his attacks on the legitimacy of key aspects of the U.S. legal system.”
The president has attacked not only federal prosecutors but also the federal judge overseeing the case in order to further his agenda. Throughout his presidency, Trump has made clear his desire to turn both the DOJ and the federal judiciary into political puppets, thereby delegitimizing both institutions. This most recent scandal, however, signals that these attacks are only ramping up.
Read the column: “Trump’s Politicization of the Justice System” by Maggie Jo Buchanan
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