A group of former U.S. attorneys appointed by Republican presidents issued a letter on Tuesday backing Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s presidential bid.
”We believe that President Trump’s leadership is a threat to the rule of law in our country, and we do not support his reelection,” the group wrote in a letter obtained by the Washington Post.
Among the group of 20 former U.S. attorneys were appointees of GOP presidents ranging from Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, to Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. The former DOJ officials add their names to a growing list of GOP lawmakers and former Republican-appointed administration officials who have snubbed their party’s candidate in favor of Biden.
In recent weeks, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) as well as Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) both said publicly that the would not support President Trump’s reelection.
In their letter Tuesday, the former GOP U.S. attorneys condemned Trump’s repeated interference with the Department of Justice’s decision-making. They rebuked the President’s efforts to solicit Attorney General Bill Barr to do bidding on issues like foreign election interference and the prosecution of his his allies, among others.
The former U.S. attorneys touted Biden’s track record of protecting the independence of the Justice Department and ensuring that law enforcement wields its powers “fairly and impartially and in the interests of all Americans.”
“Unlike the current president, Joe Biden and his Justice Department will make every effort to unite law enforcement and the nation in the pursuit of justice – to defend the rule of law, to serve and protect all Americans, and to build a criminal justice system that provides equal justice under the law,” the group asserted.
The former DOJ officials accused Trump of politicizing the Department of Justice and vying to dictate its priorities, suggesting that Trump has charted clear expectations for Justice Department appointees and prosecutors to serve his personal interests.
The group condemned the President’s efforts amid recent racial justice protests to bully state and local officials “in a naked effort to demonize and blame them for the disturbances in our cities over the past several months.”
“We firmly believe that Vice President Joe Biden is the candidate who can – and will – provide the leadership we need to refocus the Justice Department on the cause of impartial justice and to address the deep-seated societal issues that are roiling our country today,” the group wrote.
“We give him our strongest endorsement, and we hereby announce that we will each be voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to serve as the next President and Vice President of the United States.”
Read the full statement below:
