Sheldon Whitehouse: “I spoke with him about a seemingly simple concept, the impartial administration of justice. But, as is so often the case…”

“I spoke with him about a seemingly simple concept, the impartial administration of justice. But, as is so often the case with this administration and with this Attorney General, the simple is often confused, and what should be impartial is often tainted with politics. I asked the Attorney General about the administration's policy regarding communications between staff at the Department of Justice and at the White House, about ongoing investigations and cases. This kind of conversation, of course, should be very limited in scope. Until recently, it was. Attorney General Janet Reno wrote, in a 1994 letter to White House Counsel Lloyd Cutler: Initial communications between the White House and the Justice Department regarding any pending Department investigation or criminal or civil case should involve only the White House Counsel or Deputy Counsel (or President or Vice President), and the Attorney General or Deputy or Associate Attorney General. That is seven people, total. Four in the White House, three in the Department of Justice. As I pointed out to the Attorney General, this administration has dramatically expanded this policy to allow literally hundreds of people at the White House to discuss sensitive case-specific information with dozens of people at the Department of Justice.”