DOJ · independence
DOJ personnel purge: career prosecutor firings and the independence warning light
Receipts category: Personnel actions (firings/transfers/resignations) that affect prosecutorial independence.
Why it matters: Independence isn’t a feeling — it’s structure. Personnel is the structure.
Why it matters: Independence isn’t a feeling — it’s structure. Personnel is the structure.
Timeline
2025-03-30/31
Axios reports career DOJ officials fired via one-line emails stating dismissals were 'on behalf of' President Trump.
2025 (later)
CBS reports additional DOJ firings involving staff connected to major investigations.
What happened
Axios reported two career DOJ officials were fired via emails stating dismissals were 'on behalf of' President Trump — a form of attribution that matters when you’re tracking independence.
Why this belongs in Democracy Watch
If the executive branch can remove career prosecutors at will for perceived disloyalty, it changes incentives and case selection even before a single charging decision is made.
What to watch next
Follow the paper: who was removed, what roles they held, whether reasons were provided, and whether courts later reference politicization in rulings. Add each confirmed personnel action as a dated entry with a link.