'Extremely dangerous': Ex-federal prosecutors call out 'unprecedented' attacks by Jordan, Trump and GOP

Former federal prosecutors are worried about the "extremely dangerous" risks to the United States justice system and principle of prosecutorial independence posed by attacks on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and other prosecutors by ex-President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and other House GOP allies, The Guardian reports.

"Historically, congressional committees have assiduously honored the bedrock independence necessary for the execution of the criminal prosecutorial function," ex-United States Department of Justice fraud section acting chief Paul Pelletier told the news outlet. "It's particularly rich here where Congressman Jordan, who callously refused to honor a lawful congressional subpoena, now seeks to investigate the motives of a duly elected prosecutor."

The Guardian notes Jordan not only announced a probe on Willis, who indicted Trump and 18 others on racketeering charges for their efforts to overturn the 2020 election, in a letter last month, but he also "launched attacks and an investigation in April of Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who charged Trump in a 34-count indictment with falsifying business records to hide $130,000 in payments he made in 2016 to an adult film star who alleged she had an affair with Trump."

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The Guardian adds:

For months, Trump has vilified Willis and Bragg, both of whom are Black, as 'racist' prosecutors. Trump attacked Smith as 'deranged' after his four-count indictment of Trump for his aggressive efforts to block [President Joe] Biden's win included charges of defrauding the US government, and of obstructing an official proceeding, as the Capitol attack by Trump allies occurred as Congress certified Biden's win on January 6.

"Trump's attacks on the federal and local prosecutors who have brought cases against him are unprecedented and extremely dangerous," ex-DOJ inspector general Michael Bromwich told the Guardian. "Because Trump never took seriously his oath to protect and defend the constitution, he cannot fathom that prosecutors and law enforcement personnel do take it seriously and conduct investigations and bring charges based on the evidence and the law rather than to pursue enemies. The GOP historical advocacy of states' rights, which includes the need for local prosecutors to have autonomy from the federal government, has given way to the need to use the Congress to support Trump and attack his law enforcement enemies."

Blasting the "'inaccurate information and misleading statements' in Jordan's letter," as well as his attempt to "advance outrageous partisan misrepresentations," the news outlet notes Willis fired back "in a scathing nine-page rebuttal" to the Ohio lawmaker earlier this month saying, "there is no justification in the constitution for Congress to interfere with a state criminal matter, as you attempt to do."

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The Guardian's report is available at this link (subscription required).