Trending Now - Pam Bondi Eases Restrictions on DOJ Staff Political Engagement

WHO:

Pam Bondi, Attorney General of the United States

President Donald Trump

Merrick Garland, former Attorney General

Eric Columbus, former government lawyer and senior counsel to the deputy attorney general during the Obama administration

Ryan Crosswell, former public corruption prosecutor at the DOJ and congressional candidate in Pennsylvania

Jolene Lauria, DOJ’s designated agency ethics official

Stacey Young, executive director of Justice Connection

Barb McQuade, University of Michigan law professor and former U.S. attorney

Joyce Vance, University of Alabama Law professor and former U.S. attorney

Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General

Daniel Rosen, U.S. Attorney in Minnesota

Lindsey Halligan, former U.S. attorney

Kathleen Sweet, president of the New York State Bar Association

WHAT:

Pam Bondi rescinded a memo from the Biden administration that restricted partisan activity by political appointees at the DOJ on February 27, 2026.

The rescinded memo prohibited political appointees from attending campaign events, endorsing candidates, and running for office.

The new memo allows political appointees to attend partisan events again.

A proposed regulation seeks to suspend state ethics investigations against DOJ attorneys if the DOJ conducts its own review first.

The DOJ's new policy claims to end the "weaponization" of the bar complaint process.

WHERE:

Department of Justice (DOJ), United States

Pennsylvania (Ryan Crosswell's congressional candidacy)

Florida (Pam Bondi's ethics complaints)

Minnesota (court cases involving U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen)

WHEN:

February 27, 2026: Date of Bondi's memo rescinding restrictions.

March 4, 2026: Date CBS News reported on Bondi's memo.

July 8, 2024: Date of the Biden-era memo that Bondi rescinded.

2022: Year Merrick Garland implemented the previous restrictions.

1985: Year the DOJ issued an opinion regarding state bar discipline.

1998: Year Congress passed a statute affirming state bar authority over government attorneys.

WHY:

The rescission of the memo is seen as a response to accusations of partisan prosecutions against President Trump’s political enemies.

Concerns about the White House potentially meddling in the 2026 midterm elections.

The DOJ aims to prevent state bar investigations from interfering with its internal reviews.

HOW:

Bondi's new memo claims to revoke any restrictions beyond those set forth in the Hatch Act.

The proposed regulation would allow the DOJ to request state bars to pause investigations into DOJ attorneys while the department conducts its own review.

In a significant move, Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded a memo from the Biden administration on February 27, 2026, which had previously restricted partisan activities for political appointees at the Department of Justice. This new policy allows these appointees to attend campaign events and endorses candidates, while also proposing to suspend state ethics investigations against DOJ attorneys if the department conducts its own review first. The change is seen as a response to concerns about potential partisan prosecutions related to President Trump and the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.