Former DOJ officials publicly back Harris and brand Trump ‘grave risk’ to country

Former top officials at Justice Department described Trump as someone who ‘regularly ignored the rule of law’ while serving as president

More than 40 former Justice Department officials who served under both Republican and Democratic presidents have signed a letter endorsing 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris, according to a new report.

The letter — which includes the signatures of former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former deputy attorneys general Sally Yates, David Ogden, and Jamie Gorelick, and the top Washington prosecutor during George W Bush's administration, John McKay — paints Harris as a common sense candidate who will respect the rule of law, according to NBC News, which first reported the endorsement.

Harris is a former attorney general for the state of California, a role that has earned her both praise and condemnation within her own party.

The former justice officials made clear that between the former prosecutor and Trump, who was convicted of a felony, they chose Harris.

“The fabric of the nation, the rule of law and the future of the Democracy are at stake in this election,” the letter states. “The stakes could not be higher. Former President Trump presents a grave risk to our country, our global alliances and the future of democracy.”

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers the keynote speech at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th national convention in Houston, Texas, on July 25, 2024. Harris was endorsed by more than 40 former Justice Department officials on July 25, 2024 (REUTERS)

The letter was explicit in not just endorsing Harris but painting Donald Trump as a dangerous alternative who threatens the legitimacy of justice in the US.

The document accuses Trump of having "regularly ignored the rule of law" during his time as president. It specifically cites his "unconstitutional Muslim travel ban" and his alleged attempt to steal the 2020 election through his fake elector scheme and the Capitol riot.

The former DOJ officials' letter comes on the heels of the majority conservative Supreme Court's decision to uphold Trump's claims of "presidential immunity," which shields presidents from criminal liability tied to their "official acts."

Harris's campaign is already being aided in some capacity by former DOJ officials; former Attorney General Eric Holder is leading the effort to vet her potential running partners, and Brian Fallon, a former DOJ spokesman, is working as her communications director.

The vice president-turned-2024 presidential hopeful has put her past as a prosecutor up front during her recent appearances as well. During a campaign event on Tuesday, Harris called out Trump and reminded the nation that she used to be in the business of sending people to jail.

“I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain,” she said. “So hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump’s type.”