A major investigation published by The New York Times reveals deep structural disruptions within the U.S. Justice Department. Sweeping changes and career-staff departures have left the agency short-handed, prompting administrators to fill critical legal roles with far-right activists, online conspiracy theorists, and candidates carrying histories that traditionally would have barred them from federal positions.
“A former prosecutor forced off a high-profile murder case for peeking at the defense team’s strategy documents. A onetime gambling executive who promoted conspiracy theories about the Las Vegas massacre in 2017. A Florida activist who once served 20 days in jail for hacking a local elections system,” reports the Times. “They are among the 130 lawyers who have recently joined the Justice Department’s short-staffed civil rights division as the Trump administration has struggled to fill the depleted ranks of a unit that was once a magnet for legal talent.”
According to the Times data, more than 300 career, non-political personnel have exited the Civil Rights Division since early 2025. This significant loss of veteran institutional knowledge followed a decision by the division's new leader, Harmeet Dhillon, to pivot the department's focus heavily toward advancing political priorities. Former agency officials noted that as a direct consequence of this vacancy crisis, hiring bars have lowered, accommodating ideological stalwarts alongside recruits with weak credentials and unconventional legal backgrounds.
“Some have left a trail of hyperpartisan, conspiratorial and, in some instances, bizarre statements, according to an examination of about a dozen recent hires based on court records, social media posts and interviews,” reports the Times.
The internal strain is expanding beyond a single division. Separate internal files reviewed by The Hill and NewsNation show that a heavily depleted DOJ staff is falling behind on its active civil caseloads. To counter this logjam, division managers appear increasingly willing to loosen screening standards to fast-track new personnel into empty seats.
The Times profile shines a light on several high-profile appointments made under Dhillon's management. Among them is gun-rights activist Barry Arrington, who was designated as the acting head of a newly created Second Amendment unit. The newspaper's review highlights Arrington's public record as an active opponent of both evolutionary theory and same-sex marriage, noting he successfully defended conversion therapy programs in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last term.
Additionally, the Times discovered that Eric Neff was picked to temporarily manage the high-stakes voting section. Neff’s background as a local prosecutor in Los Angeles County includes an incident in 2022 where he was placed on administrative leave after his department dropped a corporate software executive's indictment due to investigative mishandling. While local taxpayers shouldered a steep $5 million settlement to resolve that dispute, Neff won reinstatement in 2024 and maintains an unresolved whistleblower claim against the county, which the Times notes adds a layer of conflict to his background.
The investigative report also points to David Michael Levin, a conservative lawyer and corporate executive appointed to a department post, who possesses a criminal conviction on his record.
“In 2015 and 2016, Mr. Levin twice hacked into the Lee County, Fla., election system as a political stunt. He faced felony charges before pleading to a pair of misdemeanors in September 2016, and served a 20-day jail sentence with two years of probation, according to court records,” said the Times.
The newspaper's deep dive into court dockets reveals a pattern of judicial admonishment. Federal judges have sanctioned Levin and his spouse for a "willful and bad faith disregard" of standard court procedures, specifically for withholding documents requested during discovery phase timelines.
“In August, the court ordered Mr. Levin to pay more than $200,000 in damages and lawyers fees, finding that he had engaged in fraudulent misrepresentation and civil conspiracy, according to a ruling last month,” reports the Times. “The docket shows no record yet of the Levins filing an appeal.”
While Levin's application cleared the agency's formal background and personnel offices like all other new hires, unnamed sources within the DOJ human resources department expressed serious concerns to reporters, cautioning that confirming these applicants sets a troubling precedent for federal law enforcement standards.
