US Justice Department 'weaponization' reviews spark calls to drop prosecutions

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US Justice Department 'weaponization' reviews spark calls to drop prosecutions

Sarah N. Lynch, Ned Parker and Peter Eisler
Tue, June 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM EDT 5 min read

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -As the federal public corruption prosecution of former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada neared trial this spring, his lawyers made one last effort to kill the case, by petitioning senior Justice Department officials that it was "weaponization," according to three people familiar with the matter.

Under President Donald Trump, the department in February created a "Weaponization Working Group" meant to identify improper politically motivated cases, a response to what the Republican says without evidence was the misuse of prosecutorial resources against him under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

In court filings, prosecutors said that Casada's lawyers met with a senior Justice Department official on March 24, where they alleged the "Deep State" had initiated a "weaponized" prosecution and they sought dismissal of the charges.

The plan almost worked, according to three people familiar with the matter.

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Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-justice-department-weaponization-reviews-182214427.html

[bucolic_frolic]

1. The concept is now out there, in public discourse. It won't go away. /nt