WASHINGTON — The Justice Department’s political appointees will be barred from attending partisan events prior to the midterm elections, under a new policy enacted amid scrutiny over the FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home.
Until now, political appointees have been allowed to generally participate in political activities such as campaign events during their time off as long as they adhered to some restrictions, such as not addressing a rally or convention for a candidate for office.
Under the new policy approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland and released Tuesday, employees who hold political positions no longer can even attend a partisan event during their personal time prior to the November election.
“As department employees, we have been entrusted with the authority and responsibility to enforce the laws of the United States in a neutral and impartial manner,” Garland wrote in a message to employees. “In fulfilling this responsibility, we must do all we can to maintain public trust and ensure that politics — both in fact and appearance — does not compromise or affect the integrity of our work.”