Attorney General Peter Neronha of Rhode Island and Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown have expressed their disapproval regarding U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's recent comments targeting prosecutors. The two attorneys general, both former U.S. Attorneys, released a joint statement addressing Bondi’s threats to dismiss prosecutors based on their political beliefs.
The statement emphasized the illegality and un-American nature of firing individuals for their political views. "Not only is firing someone for their political beliefs blatantly illegal, it is deeply un-American," the statement reads. Both Neronha and Brown highlighted the importance of maintaining diversity in opinion within the Justice Department, noting that they had worked alongside colleagues with differing political perspectives during their tenure at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Their statement also criticized President Trump's campaign rhetoric about weaponizing the DOJ, an institution they regard highly from their past experiences. They specifically addressed Bondi's intentions to identify and remove DOJ employees whose personal beliefs differ from those of President Trump as a threat to American justice principles.
The two attorneys general called for unity among those who uphold the rule of law to defend constitutional principles against what they perceive as an administration intent on undermining them.