In a scathing op/ed in the Washington Post, Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff states that the actions of Donald Trump, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III and William Barr severely damaged the legitimacy of the Department of Justice, and he calls for Attorney General Merrick Garland to undertake a significant effort to reestablish the credibility of the DOJ.

The target of a grand jury subpoena issued by Justice Department lawyers during the Trump Administration to obtain his phone and email records, ostensibly while investigating a leak of classified information, Schiff was one of more than a dozen people–all Democrats, Democratic staffers or their families, including a minor–to have their phone records turned over by Apple.

Schiff compares the act to the criminal acts of the Nixon-era Justice Department, saying that like Nixon, Trump sought to have the Justice Department act as his personal lawyers and enforcement agency. 

“[To] the department’s lasting detriment, Barr repeatedly put the DOJ into service as Trump’s personal law firm, reducing the sentencing recommendation of a Trump crony who lied for the president and dismissing the case against another Trump associate who pleaded guilty to perjury,” Schiff wrote.  “Barr then abused his office further by ordering the investigation of those who had investigated the president.”

Schiff noted that now is the time for the department to rid itself of political actions and forge the path toward erasing the legacy and political fealty to people like Trump.  He expresses his belief that Garland is the person to lead the Department down that path.

“[It] will also be essential for the attorney general to examine the full extent to which the department lost its independence over the past four years. We must establish new and stronger laws and policies to protect the agency from presidential and political interference in the future. Given Garland’s long history with the department, I have every confidence that he will do so.”