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Civil rights lawyers leave en masse as Justice Department mission shifts

The Washington Post, Apr. 29, 2025

“'For almost 70 years, the civil rights division has enforced laws that Congress passed to promote equality, dignity and fairness for all Americans,' said Stacey Young. 'By effectively purging the vast majority of the division’s lawyers, DOJ is grinding this work to a near halt.'”

DOJ Civil Rights unit makes sharp turn toward Trump causes

Bloomberg, Apr. 28, 2025

“'I’ve never heard my former colleagues sound so defeated and scared for the future of their work, and also their own jobs. There’s enormous fear and anxiety about the division’s future,' Young said."

Critics see ‘monumental shift’ in Trump remaking of DOJ civil rights division

The Hill, Apr. 28, 2025

“'The impact is catastrophic. They are scaling back possibly, nearly all enforcement that they have been doing for decades on civil rights statutes they’re required to enforce,' said Stacey Young."

Alarm at changes to Justice Dept.’s Civil Rights Office prompts ‘exodus’

The New York Times, Apr. 28, 2025

“'With the reckless dismantling of the division,' Young said, 'we’ll see unchecked discrimination and constitutional violations in schools, housing, employment, voting, prisons, by police departments and in many other realms of our daily lives.'”

Justice Department cutting grants that help crime victims

NBC, Apr. 24, 2025

“'This administration can’t claim to care about things like supporting crime victims, curbing gun violence, and reducing opioid deaths while slashing grants to entities that do the hard work to achieve these goals,' said Stacey Young"

Crime victims groups stripped of federal grant awards by Trump administration

CBS News, Apr. 24, 2025

"Former Department of Justice Civil Rights Division official Stacey Young told CBS News, 'This administration can't claim to care about things like supporting crime victims, curbing gun violence, and reducing opioid deaths while slashing grants to entities that do the hard work to achieve these goals.'"

Trump upends DOJ's Civil Rights Division, sparking 'bloodbath' in senior ranks

NBC News, Apr. 23, 2025

“'Every presidential administration has its own policy priorities,' said Stacey Young, who spent 18 years in the division before resigning in January, 'but I don’t think there’s any precedent for an administration almost completely refocusing the civil rights division’s enforcement priorities the way this one has.'"

He represented contentious immigration cases for the government. His candor lost him his job

The Wall St. Journal, Apr. 15, 2025

"Stacey Young, a former DOJ lawyer who worked with Reuveni, said she knew him to be one of the government’s most zealous advocates, even when defending unpopular policies. 'But he’d never shirk his ethical responsibilities and commitment to the rule of law, and the fact that DOJ attorneys now seem to be expected to do so is appalling,' said Young."

New US Justice Department policy cracks down on social media posts

Reuters, Apr. 15, 2025

Featured quote from Stacey Young: "The new policy represents another unwarranted attack on DOJ employees - one that stifles their free speech in their private lives and creates new ways for the administration to oust career public servants who don't toe the party line."

YouTube admits error in removal of Justice Connection's channel

The Washington Post, Apr. 10, 2025

Google wrongly labeled Justice Connection's Fox News ad as "misinformation” and removed our YouTube page. Google denied our appeal with no explanation until The Washington Post reached out for comment.

Justice Connection founder Stacey Young testifies in Congress

Justice Connection, Apr. 9, 2025

Justice Connection founder and executive director Stacey Young testified about ongoing attacks on the Justice Department’s workforce before members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in a hearing on “Restoring Accountability: Exposing Trump’s Attacks on the Rule of Law.”

Justice Connection's Stacey Young joins Talking Feds Podcast

Talking Feds Podcast, Apr. 8, 2025

Justice Connection's Stacey Young joins Talking Feds Podcast alongside reporters Devlin Barrett and Evan Perez to discuss the current state of the DOJ's workforce under the new Administration.

Fired U.S. pardon attorney complains of intimidation tactics ahead of testimony in 'shadow hearing'

NBC News, Apr. 7, 2025

"Democratic members of Congress are set to spotlight Justice Department employees who resigned or were fired in recent months. Also at the hearing will be Stacey Young, a Justice Department veteran who launched the group Justice Connection to support department employees who were fired or resigned."

Justice Dept. lawyers are struggling to defend Trump’s policies in court

The New York Times, Apr. 7, 2025

"'Justice Department attorneys are being put in an impossible position: Obey the president, or uphold their ethical duty to the court and the Constitution,' said Stacey Young."

Judge says deportation of Maryland man to an El Salvador prison was ‘wholly lawless’

AP, Apr. 6, 2025

"Stacey Young, a former Justice Department lawyer and founder of Justice Connection, a network of department alumni that works to support employees, released a statement that defended Reuveni: 'We should all be grateful to DOJ lawyers who choose principle over politics and the rule of law over partisan loyalty.'"

Justice Department places attorney who struggled to explain Maryland man's deportation on leave

NBC News, Apr. 5, 2025

"The head of Justice Connection, a network of former Justice Department employees, defended Reuveni, saying in a statement that he has 'defended his clients with great skill and integrity — never as a loyalist or partisan, but because he believes in the rule of law.'"

White House firing of a career prosecutor pulls Justice Department under ever-closer control

NBC News, Apr. 2, 2025

“'The White House firing career prosecutors for doing their jobs is likely unprecedented,' Young told NBC News. 'It’s also the very weaponization this administration pretends to oppose.'”

White House abruptly fires career Justice Department prosecutors in latest norm-shattering move.

AP, Mar. 31, 2025

Quote from Justice Connection's Stacey Young: "The integrity of our legal system and the independence of DOJ requires that laws are enforced impartially, which cannot happen when the White House fires career prosecutors to advance a political agenda."

US Justice Department considers merging DEA, ATF in major shakeup

Reuters, Mar. 27, 2025

"'Gutting DOJ and merging ATF and DEA weakens law enforcement’s ability to combat gun violence, the fentanyl epidemic, and generally keep American communities secure and healthy,' said Stacey Young, founder and executive director of Justice Connection."

A new grassroots group is offering free therapy for federal workers

Axios, Mar. 25, 2025

Axios featured Justice Connection's mental health resources, including its provider list provided to DOJ employees, in a story about therapists offering free mental health support to federal employees.

As DOJ employees fear what comes next, alums form group to help

ABA Journal, Mar. 25, 2025

ABA on formation of Justice Connection: "The goal is to have an 'army of alumni from the largest law firm in the world' prepared to help DOJ employees through the complex federal employment appeals process when they are fired, demoted or face other related issues."

CBS News Interviews Justice Connection Founder and Executive Director, Stacey Young

CBS, Mar. 11, 2025

Stacey Young sat down with Scott MacFarlane at CBS News to discuss the dangerous attacks on DOJ employees. Cuts of the interview aired on three CBS News shows and on CNN.

News Coverage of Justice Connection's Open Letter from Former Federal Prosecutors

Justice Connection, Mar. 10-11, 2025

Our open letter in support of DOJ prosecutors was covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, ABC, CBS, Axios, and others.

Trump DOJ Assigns Sensitive Ethics Powers to Political Aides

Bloomberg Law, Feb. 16, 2025

“'Transferring the authority over ethics and employee discipline from a career stalwart like Brad Weinsheimer to partisan loyalists could further expose employees to political retribution, and exacerbate the culture of fear at the Department,' said Stacey Young, who resigned after 18 years as a DOJ attorney Jan. 31 to launch Justice Connection."

Justice Department Support Group Gets Big Response Amid Upheaval

Bloomberg Law, Feb. 24, 2025

"Justice Connection, was launched as mass layoffs and leadership shakeups have rocked the federal workforce since President Donald Trump took office."

How Trump’s Sweeping Expulsions Have Thrown the FBI Into Chaos

The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 5, 2025

"Trump administration officials have 'declared war on their own workforce,' said Stacey Young, a litigator in the Justice Department’s civil rights division who resigned last month and set up an outside group, Justice Connection, to help employees navigate the workplace confusion."

Former DOJ Lawyer Starts Group to Defend Government Employees Under Attack

NPR, Feb. 6, 2025

"A veteran Justice Department lawyer has left the agency and is starting a new group to help advise and defend government lawyers under attack from the new administration."

New Group Aims to Help Justice Dept. Employees Alarmed by Trump

The New York Times, Jan. 31, 2025

"The group, Justice Connection, intends to support employees who say they are facing professional and ethical crises under the new administration."

Stacey Young's Opening Remarks at to the House Committee on the Judiciary

House Committee on the Judiciary, Jan. 31, 2024

Stacey Young, Founder and Executive Director of Justice Connection, delivers opening remarks at the Democratic briefing, titled "Rights, Resources, and Recourses for DOJ Employees Targeted by the Trump Administration."

Stacey Young's Statement to the House Committee on the Judiciary

House Committee on the Judiciary, Jan. 31, 2024

Justice Connection's founder provides statement to the House Committee on the Judiciary during the Democratic briefing, titled "Rights, Resources, and Recourses for DOJ Employees Targeted by the Trump Administration."

I’m a Federal Employee. This Is What We Need Most in the Trump Era.

The New York Times, Jan. 12, 2025

Justice Connection's Executive Director, Stacey Young, publishes a call to action in The New York Times days before the inauguration.

Trump’s First 100 Days: Attacks on DOJ Threaten Security and Rule of Law

Justice Connection, Apr. 29, 2025

Since coming to power 100 days ago, the Trump administration has purged, threatened, and sidelined career civil servants at Department of Justice, while shattering longstanding institutional norms. Justice Connection has been calling out these actions since its launch on January 31.

Fact Sheet: Trump Administration Attacks on DOJ in the First 100 Days

Justice Connection, Apr. 29, 2025

Justice Connection compiled a list of actions the Trump administration has taken in its first 100 days that harm the Department of Justice’s workforce, the institution itself, and the public it serves.

Statement: Granting DOGE Access to Immigration Records Poses Severe Privacy Risks

Justice Connection, Apr. 22, 2025

Justice Connection issues statement in response to a recent Washington Post article about Justice Department leadership granting DOGE access to confidential records kept by the nation’s immigration court system.

Justice Connection Responds to DOJ Suspension of Erez Reuveni

Justice Connection, Apr. 6, 2025

Justice Connection founder and executive director Stacey Young issued a statement in response to the Justice Department’s suspension of Erez Reuveni, the acting deputy director of the department’s Office of Immigration Litigation.

Justice Connection Launches Ad Campaign Highlighting Recent Firings at DOJ and FBI that Make America Less Safe

Justice Connection, Mar. 27, 2025

Justice Connection announced the launch of a new advertising campaign calling on President Trump to stop putting American lives at risk by gutting DOJ and weakening our national security.

Statement on DOJ’s Possible Exposure of Victim and Witness Identities in Release of Epstein Files

Justice Connection, Mar. 22, 2025

Statement from Justice Connection member Kristina Rose, former director of DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime, in response to story from WSJ: “FBI Pushes to Release Epstein Files With Some Details on Victims, Witnesses Left In.”

Justice Connection and Civic Match Host Live Event

Justice Connection, Mar. 17, 2025

Justice Connection is partnering with Civic Match to host a live event highlighting open legal roles in state and local governments. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 18, from 5-6PM EST via Zoom.

Justice Connection Responds to Attacks on DOJ Employees

Justice Connection, Mar. 10, 2025

In the five weeks since Justice Connection launched, attacks against our former Department of Justice colleagues have been reckless, swift, and devastating. Here are some of the ways we’ve already provided vital support.

Open Letter from 1,200+ Former Federal Prosecutors

Justice Connection, Feb. 18, 2025

In a letter that Justice Connection organized, over 1,200+ former DOJ prosecutors pledged their ongoing support for their current counterparts, expressing admiration for their principled stances and alarm over Department leadership's recent politicized actions in prosecutions.