Attorney General Merrick Garland Thursday broke with precedent when he delivered an annual address to Department of Justice staff on a public platform and, without naming names, launched an attack clearly targeting former President Donald Trump.
Garland heaped praise on Justice Department members he thanked for tireless efforts as Trump, criminally charged in two federal court cases, hurled baseless accusations of political corruption and weaponized government their way.
"You have bravely carried on in the face of an unprecedented spike in threats targeting a range of public officials across the country," Garland said.
"You have made clear that the Justice Department will not be intimidated by these attacks, but it is dangerous and outrageous that you have to endure them."
Garland vowed to protect the Justice Department from political influence and highlighted past efforts that include new policies on prosecutorial discretion and new regulations on communication with Congress and the White House.
The Attorney General thanked Justice Department prosecutors, in particular, for the "noble and difficult work" he argued does not receive adequate recognition.
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"It is dangerous to target and intimidate individual employees of this department solely for doing their jobs," Garland said. "And it is outrageous that you have to face these unfounded attacks because you are doing what is right."
Trump has repeatedly attacked the Justice Department as the two federal cases proceeded against him on charges he violated the Espionage Act by hoarding classified documents in his Florida social club and that he illegally interfered with the 2020 presidential election.
The former president has called out prosecutor in those cases, Jack Smith, by name, called him "deranged" and threatened to "come after" anyone who targeted Trump.
On Saturday, he threatened to throw into prison anyone who had stood in his way, including "Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials," when reelected.
Garland did not name Trump by name, but CNN host Wolf Blitzer argued it was clear to whom the attorney general referred when he lambasted "efforts to bully and intimidate career public servants."
"I think it's pretty extraordinary that he was delivering this speech clearly designed to go after Trump and Trump allies," Blitzer said. "He never mentioned Trump by name...but clearly that was the attack he was launching."
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