Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Biden’s Politicization of the Department of Justice

March 28, 2024

The rule of law is foundational to our Republic. Enforcing the law and public safety is one of government’s main purposes. Yet, in recent years, Americans have seen the Biden administration weaponize the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ’s mission is to “uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights.” Equal justice means people in similar circumstances should be treated equally. This principle is at the core of who we are. Nebraska’s state motto is “Equality before the law.” Yet, that’s not what we have seen from the Department of Justice under the Biden administration. Reviewing their actions raises serious questions about the Department’s fairness.

After the pandemic, parents across the country started speaking out to advocate for their children’s education. The National School Board Association claimed these parents’ protests were “domestic terrorism.” Attorney General Merrick Garland sent a memo validating their claims and outlining the DOJ’s response. In another instance, a federal whistleblower disclosed documents showing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hoped to spy on Roman Catholic parishes. Their reasoning was conservative Catholics are potential “Racially or Ethically Motivated Violent Extremists.”

The Biden DOJ has also chosen to selectively enforce the law in favor of its position on abortion. It has vigorously prosecuted pro-life Americans demonstrating at abortion facilities. For example, in 2022, a pro-life activist, husband, and father was accused of allegedly pushing a patient escort outside an abortion clinic. The DOJ decided that allegation merited a full SWAT team raiding the home where he lived with his wife and children. On the other hand, Garland has failed to give the same attention to the dozens of attacks on pro-life women’s resource centers. He has also refused to enforce federal law to protect conservative Supreme Court Justices at their homes. If politically motivated violence truly has no place in America, justice requires prosecuting the perpetrators regardless of their political leanings.

Law enforcement resources aren’t endless. Choices are made about where to focus the Department’s attention. The DOJ’s choices should concern us all. We’re seeing waves of violent crime across the country, but that’s not what Garland is focused on. Instead, he recently announced doubling the division that targets states who strengthen election integrity laws.

Now, in the middle of a presidential election, President Biden’s Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, is facing 91 charges across four different jurisdictions. Elections should be fought at the ballot box. Instead, liberal prosecutors are trying to defeat President Trump in the courtroom. It’s un-American. It’s anti-democratic. It’s wrong.

Both Trump and Biden allegedly mishandled classified documents. Yet only President Trump is on trial. Biden was excused for the same alleged crime. A Garland-appointed Special Counsel said a jury would find Biden “a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” In other words, Biden gets a pass to break the law because a jury might think he’s too incompetent to stand trial. We’ve also seen very little accountability for President Biden’s family. They lied on federal forms and used their proximity to profit.

These partisan crusades from the DOJ aren’t good for our country. This weaponization flies in the face of equal justice. I will continue raising these issues until the American people get answers. There needs to be accountability for any misconduct or favoritism. Prosecutors must enforce the law fairly and evenly. People in similar circumstances should get equal treatment from our legal system. President Biden’s DOJ has gravely damaged its reputation amongst the very American citizens it is intended to protect and serve. We can’t look away. We need to hold them accountable.

My team and I are here to serve you. Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224 or on my website at www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact.