DOJ appointments lag behind as year begins News Shows

Nearly a year into President Donald Trump’s administration, the Justice Department lacks Senateconfirmed appointees in leadership posts running the national security, criminal, civil rights and other key divisions. And the problem shows no sign of abating anytime soon.

On Thursday, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed he was implementing new guidance to make it easier for federal prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases in states where the substance is legal, Sen. Cory Gardner, R-colo., accused the Justice Department of trampling the will of Colorado voters and said he would “take all steps necessary, including holding DO J nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.”

Already, the department had a dearth of Senate-confirmed nominees in leadership positions. While the top three posts are filled, the National Security Division, Criminal Division, Civil Rights Division, Tax Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration and others lack confirmed presidential appointees. A Justice Department official said the delays have been frustrating, particularly in the criminal and national Lineups and broadcast times may change.

“State of the Union”

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-calif.

“This Week”

To be announced.

“Fox News Sunday”

8 a.m. CIA director Mike Pompeo; Corey Lewandowski, onetime manager of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

“Meet the Press”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; author Michael Wolff.

“Face the Nation”

R-miss. Pompeo; Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY.; former Gov. Haley Barbour, security divisions.

“We desperately need them; we desperately need those two in particular,” the official said. “We need them here, like, yesterday.”

Some nominations have languished for months — even as Trump’s party controls Congress. Justice Department veterans from both political parties say that void prevents the department from fully implementing its policy goals.

“To me, what’s happening is reprehensible, not only in the Department (of Justice) but throughout government,” said William Barr, who was the attorney general under President George H.W. Bush. “This is unprecedented. Anyone who has worked in an administration knows how damaging it is.”

Trump has nominated people to fill several Justice Department spots, including the civil, criminal, national security and civil rights divisions, and many have already had confirmation hearings. They have yet to be put up for a vote by the full Senate, though. Trump also has nominated 58 U.S. attorneys, 46 of whom have been confirmed,

and Sessions recently picked 17 more to serve in interim posts.

Legal analysts say the delays are more significant than others in recent memory. President Barack Obama’s National Security Division head, for instance, was confirmed two months after he took office.

His Criminal Division head followed the month after that.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell, R-KY., has blamed Democrats for using procedural delays to create a backlog of nominees across government. A spokesman, asked for comment on this story, pointed to Mcconnell’s previous public statements on the matter.

“If this trend continues, it will take us more than 11 years to confirm the remaining presidential appointments,” Mcconnell said in July. “Let me repeat that. More than 11 years. A presidential term lasts four.”

Democrats say they are delaying nominees because of substantive concerns, and they argue that Republicans, too, have thrown up roadblocks.