During Pam Bondi’s Senate confirmation hearing, a curious bipartisan consensus emerged: the Department of Justice and the Attorney General, they argued, should be independent of the President—as if the DOJ were some mythical fourth branch of government, free to chart its own course, unbound by the Constitution’s framework.
It seems a strong, healthy President is a necessary prerequisite to a compliant DOJ, otherwise they become autocratic. Size can also be a deterrent making DOJ unmanageable. Can you give us a detailed explanation of the role and basic responsibilities that were initially ascribed to the DOJ? It is apparent those original responsibilities have been bastardized.
It seems a strong, healthy President is a necessary prerequisite to a compliant DOJ, otherwise they become autocratic. Size can also be a deterrent making DOJ unmanageable. Can you give us a detailed explanation of the role and basic responsibilities that were initially ascribed to the DOJ? It is apparent those original responsibilities have been bastardized.