Which Witch is Which: The Dismantling of the DOJ and the Complicity of Trump’s Allies

“Ideology—that is what gives evildoing its long-sought justification and gives the evildoer the necessary steadfastness and determination…” An apropos quote from The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a longtime prisoner of the gulag and dissident from Soviet Russia. The insights that we have today from the Cold War, whether Soviet gulag prisoners or those struck down in the hysteria of McCarthyism, have become crucially important in the United States of late, as Trump’s hunt for his enemies has finally entered the heavyweight class. James Comey, former FBI director appointed in the Obama administration, has been indicted on two charges of obstruction of justice and lying to Congress during the infamous Russia Gate scandal. The Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi take centre stage as the president finally follows through on one of his many promises: to ruin his enemies. The weaponization of the Department of Justice is representative of the democratic decline the United States is experiencing under the authoritarian leadership of the Trump administration. 

James Comey has long been under the public eye since his appointment during the George W. Bush Administration as Deputy Attorney General. He would then move on to the office of FBI Director in 2013 under President Barack Obama. I find it important to note here that Comey served under multiple administrations and faced scrutiny from both sides of the aisle, displaying some refreshing impartiality. The indictment of Mr. Comey focuses largely on his investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, over the question of receipt and dissemination of classified information via email. Following the closure, reopening, and reclosure of the case, Comey would move onto alleged Russian influence in the 2016 Presidential Election. It is somewhat haunting to see these charges brought forward surrounding Mr. Comey’s investigation, as Trump was obviously only interested in Comey when he posed a possible advantage over Clinton. As Comey boldly probed potential Russian collusion, he was fired by Trump due to his annoyance with the director digging into possible collusion charges against the president-elect. It seems that both Trump and Clinton shared a disdain for Comey, as he cast a negative shadow over the two; however, the staggering difference here is the current accusation and court indictment brought forth by Trump.

This delayed domino effect surrounding the indictment of Mr. Comey is arising at a moment when Trump has seen some very real losses, particularly in his war with Jimmy Kimmel and his wider ability to censor his critics. Kimmel’s emotional return and the continual outcries against incredulous state propaganda of the Trump administration have made the president increasingly bold in his desire to strike back at his political enemies. Stating very explicitly on X, AG Pam Bondi posted, “No one is above the law,” which is laughably rich coming from an administration riddled with liars, including our felon-in-chief, Donald Trump. The Trump administration is assiduously trying to censor the media, universities, and now former government officials. This continued degradation of public trust is taking place as a direct result of Trump’s leadership. Comey is another test for the American public and for members of Congress as the trial proceeds, with the former director obviously pleading not guilty. This is a show trial, plain and simple, that Trump is hoping will discredit his enemies and most likely to take more heat off his latest Epstein inquiries. I believe sometimes an accusation can be an admission of guilt, and this is certainly the case, as Trump ceaselessly attempts to intimidate his enemies.

Returning to Solzhenitsyn, the ideology that Trump wants to impart on the world focuses acutely on his credibility and his ability to make life hell for his enemies. Much like the Communist Party of the USSR, Trump wants an unquestioned ideology that demands loyalty above all, and he ensures to pay them back in kind with just desserts, such as the latest TikTok deal. A president cannot be authorised to target the citizenry with the use of the Department of Justice to silence its critics. The substantial evidence found in relation to a Russian influence campaign on the U.S. presidential election through social media bots, disinformation operations, and covert intelligence operations to undermine political stability during the election of 2016 suggests we have a closed case. Notably, as the U.S. intelligence community and a bipartisan congressional committee have agreed on this information, it should be apparent to everyone that this is a baseless accusation among the many that Trump has schemed. To reinforce the legitimacy of Trump on a national and global stage has catastrophic implications, pointing towards the end of political pluralism as we know it in the United States. The administration has gone so far as to fire Maureen Comey, Mr. Comey’s Daughter, from the U.S. Justice Department in a vengeful effort to wound his enemies, as the administration has already done under Trump loyalist appointees. This is a despicable waste of the judiciary's time and a flagrant violation of democracy in attacking critics within a nation that demands bipartisanship from its institutions. 

McCarthyism is certainly the most relevant case in American history regarding the abuse of government authority to promote a vengeful ideology, and Trump is excitedly picking up the torch, so to speak. In 1953, the Department of State published a document on "Reported Decline in US Prestige Abroad," highlighting the important factors that significantly contributed to the decline of U.S. soft power and authority on the global stage. It specifically notes that McCarthyism significantly altered the international community's views, stating, “These Europeans not only object on grounds of principle to his efforts to destroy his opponents’ individual integrity but also hold in high esteem many of McCarthy’s targets…” This was a real threat to American Democracy, which many across the globe had a full view of as McCarthy spewed virulent lies to “destroy” his political enemies. Trump is attempting the same dangerous gambit that Senator Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover were enforcing upon the American public in the 1950s. This movement wrought the loss of public trust, a blow to American political hegemony, and it highlighted the silence from the Eisenhower administration that allowed these events to transpire. Donald Trump has every intention to broaden the divide through his political retribution and will attempt at every chance to continue sowing discord and leaving the country in a state of anxiety. We have seen this before in America, and it was a severe blot on the nation and our democracy. I promise you that Donald Trump is looking beyond Mr. Comey to other enemies, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and possibly even Zohran Mamdani. We are far beyond the slow trickle of fascism, and unless we continue to make our voices heard, freedom of speech and the rule of law may come into question as the administration carries on to destroy hope in this country.

Illustration: Will Allen/Europinion