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18 ¦ FEBRUARY 24, 2020 NEWS

¦ From MORALE LOW on PAGE 17 The Hill website reported that top U.S. House
and Senate Republicans, in a show of support for
‘Sigh deeply’
Kristan Peters-Hamlin, a Connecticut-based solo the embattled attorney general, issued a statement
practitioner and former assistant U.S. attorney in praising Barr as a “man of the highest character and
Washington, D.C., from 1991 to 1996, also signed unquestionable integrity.”
the letter.
“Many DOJ people are concerned about serv- ‘Not about Democrats and Republicans’
ing under an attorney general who appears to But thousands of former federal staffers disagree.
confuse his role with that of personal attorney to Among them: Felice Duffy, who worked as an as-
the president,” Peters-Hamlin said. “In my dis- sistant U.S. attorney for the DOJ in Connecticut from
cussions with them about the current situation, 2005 to 2015. Like the other Connecticut signatories,
some will roll their eyes and sigh deeply. Many she said the move took a lot of soul-searching.
are horrified that Donald Trump does not have “It was not an easy letter to sign,” said Duffy, now
sufficient respect for the rule of law and that the a New Haven solo practitioner. “I signed the letter to
attorney general is not showing more neutrality show support for those four federal prosecutors who
and independence.” were doing what they believed in,
That perception might have and were trained to do by the De-
changed, though, as a rift ap- partment of Justice—and that is
peared between the president to stand up, and treat everyone
and the attorney general. On Connecticut signatories equally under the law.”
Feb. 13, Barr sat for an interview were among more than
Rangappa agreed, and said
with ABC News in which he said 2,000 ex-Justice Department fellow attorneys, even those
Trump’s tweets made it impossi- employees who signed a with no DOJ ties, should care

ble for the attorney general to do letter demanding Attorney about what is taking place in
his job. General William Barr’s ouster Washington, D.C.
Trump tweeted several times “The legal profession is one
about the Stone case. He suggest- over response to the the in which principle matters more
ed he thought a nine-year prison sentencing of Roger Stone. than politics and ideology,” she

sentence was too harsh for Stone, said. “I think the principle of law
who’d been convicted of witness is at stake here. The attorney gen-
tampering, obstruction and lying eral is the chief law enforcement
to Congress during special counsel Robert Mueller’s officer in the country, and he should embody ideals
investigation of alleged Russian interference in the in how he dispenses justice. But right now, the prin-
2016 presidential election. ciple is being trampled on.”
“Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!” Trump All three former employees say Justice Department
tweeted at 1:48 a.m. on Feb. 11. employees are not political. They say many staffer
After the president’s tweet the Justice Department have worked for both Democratic and Republican
changed direction on the Stone case. Prosecutors, administrations.
who had asked the court to impose the maximum “It’s not about Democrats and Republicans,”
sentence, submitted a new brief saying that punish- Rangappa said. “It never entered the conversations
ment would have been too severe. at the water cooler or anywhere else.”
Critics who signed the letter said they did so be- ¦

cause of what they saw as the president’s interference. Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
And four federal prosecutors quit the Stone case. analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
Meanwhile, Barr appeared to have high-ranking him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
supporters, despite calls for his resignation. 203-437-5950.

CONNECTICUT
Law Tribune