Lindsey Halligan — President Donald Trump's newest U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — was sworn in Monday, tasked with overseeing prosecutions into the president's political opponents. Some Department of Justice (DOJ) staffers are reportedly panicking over the implications of pursuing meritless criminal investigations.
That's according to a Monday article in the Wall Street Journal by reporters Sadie Gurman and C. Ryan Barber, who reported that some unnamed DOJ staff are already seeking advice from former DOJ attorneys on how to proceed.
"Lawyers who work in the Virginia outpost, known for handling high-profile national security cases, privately expressed uncertainty Monday about their jobs and concern that the office could be forced to rush out an ill-founded case," they wrote. "Some sought advice from former colleagues, and were told to secure insurance against legal malpractice claims."
Trump posted a message directed at Attorney General Pam Bondi to his Truth Social platform over the weekend, making it clear that he wanted criminal charges brought against former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) The Journal reported that "the clock is ticking loudest on Comey," who in September 2020 testified before Congress on the FBI's handling of allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. If elements of that testimony are to be included in any criminal case, Comey would have to be charged before the five-year statute of limitations expires in less than a week.
Erik Siebert, who was Trump's pick to oversee cases in the Eastern District of Virginia until his recent firing, previously said he didn't see a case to bring against Comey. Siebert was also hesitant to bring charges against James for alleged mortgage fraud, which she denies.
"They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done," Trump lamented on Truth Social. "We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!"
Former acting attorney general Peter Keisler, who served in former President George W. Bush's administration, condemned Trump's calls to investigate his political opponents. He argued that the president was "making clear to the entire Justice Department workforce that anybody who does their job and resists this kind of demand is at risk of being fired."
"That’s toxic to the running of a fair criminal justice system," he said.
Click here to read the Journal's report in its entirety (subscription required).