Day 288: In Massive Breach of Norms, Trump Implores DOJ to Investigate Political Opponent

Donald Trump heads to Asia today, on a vitally important trip largely focused on the continuing threat to the region and world that is a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Before leaving, however, Trump had some things to get off his chest.

Deranged and racist? Yes.

Poorly written? Obviously.

Exhibit 20,249 for a 25th Amendment challenge? Duh.

All of that has sadly become expected, however.

But the deeper meaning in Trump’s tweets should not be glossed over: he’s calling for the investigation of a political opponent by a body, the Justice Department, that is supposed to be independent. (Of course, the timing, a mere week after Trump’s own people were indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller, can’t be ignored.)

The executive office and DOJ are supposed to wholly separate, except in the rarest of circumstances:

Long-standing protocol dictates that the FBI and Justice Department operate free of political influence or meddling from the White House. That’s one reason that the FBI director serves a 10-year term and does not turn over the reins as presidential administrations come and go. It also means that presidents are not supposed to supervise, initiate or stop law enforcement investigations.

White House officials and Justice Department lawyers aren’t even meant to talk with each other about ongoing criminal investigations or civil enforcement actions, though there is some leeway granted for matters of national security.

Why?

Justice Department officials have long considered it imperative that their investigations not be politicized or tainted by suspicions of interference by the White House or other elected leaders.

Any hint of political meddling could undermine public faith in the legitimacy of an investigation. It could raise the prospect that a person is being investigated, or is being spared from investigation, on the whims of political considerations rather than evidence of guilt or innocence.

Makes sense: an investigation can’t even appear impartial when it’s being driven for political purposes. The mere appearance of political influence would cast a cloud over the whole thing.

Here, Trump is pushing for an investigation into Hillary Clinton for those exact reasons.

On top of that, Trump’s statements don’t even make sense. Stacking the deck for one candidate in a party’s primary isn’t noble by any means, but it also isn’t a crime. Republicans tried to do the same to Trump and, while unsavory, didn’t amount to unlawful activity.

Trump’s rhetoric continues to erode the traditional line in the sand between the executive office and the DOJ. He’s brazen— or stupid — enough to do it in the open, which makes people think that it’s okay or normal or appropriate.

It’s not.

If one thing is for certain, it’s that as the Mueller indictments roll in, Trump’s bombast and desperation will shine through brighter than ever.

Will the Justice Department remain impartial or become a political arm of the party in charge?

288 days in, 1174 to go

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