Donald Trump's dirty DOJ leadership is engaged in a shell game, a game of three-card monty, a game of misdirection designed to dupe the American people. DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) is a component of the Department of Justice that issues advisory opinions regarding the legality or illegality of conduct by federal government officials, attorneys, law enforcement, and military operations.
Historically, OLC has tried to do its work in good faith, and in accordance with the law and the Constitution. But that is not the case under the current corrupt DOJ leadership.
OLC is now offering indefensible legal opinions - for example, trying to give top cover to the Trump administration when it unlawfully enters Venezuela and takes into custody its president and first lady. Indeed, virtually every respected military law expert recognize recognizes that this was an illegal operation. The same is true for the unlawful, deadly strikes on small Venezuelan boats in international waters.
OLC also rendered an opinion of how fake US attorney Lindsay Halligan could continue to sign official court documents as "United States Attorney" even though a federal judge had ruled that she was unlawfully and unconstitutionally in that position.
But there's also supposed to be another safeguard against, in particular, DOJ attorney misconduct. The office of professional responsibility (OPR) is supposed to investigate allegations or suspected incidents of DOJ attorney misconduct and misconduct by law enforcement officers, like FBI agents.
However, the head of OPR was wrongfully removed from the job months ago, and there is no indication that there even is a current, legitimate head of the OPR. This corrupt shell game that Trump's dirty DOJ leadership is playing - having OLC issue memos to give wrongdoers's top cover, and then neutering OPR so that the attorneys who engage in misconduct will not be held accountable - is destroying the legitimacy of the DOJ.
To those of us who spent decades serving the American people at the Department of Justice, we see exactly what they're doing. All of the American people also need to see this for what it is - abject corruption at the DOJ.
My friend Asha Rangappa joined me to discuss this dirty game Trump's DOJ officials are playing.
