Garland says he won't let the Justice Department be used as a political weapon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday he will not allow the Justice Department “to be used as a political weapon," as he denounced "conspiracy theories and “dangerous falsehoods" targeting federal law enforcement.

Speaking to U.S. attorneys gathered in Washington and other Justice Department members, Garland forcefully defended the department’s integrity and impartiality against claims of politicization by Republicans. Garland said norms protecting the department from political interference matter “now more than ever.”

“Our norms are a promise that we will not allow this Department to be used as a political weapon. And our norms are a promise that we will not allow this nation to become a country where law enforcement is treated as an apparatus of politics," Garland said to applause in in the Great Hall at Justice Department headquarters.

Garland's comments come amid an onslaught of attacks from Republicans, who claim the Justice Department has been politically weaponized to go after former President Donald Trump. Trump was indicted in two separate criminal cases by special counsel Jack Smith, who Garland brought in from outside the department to run the investigations.

Trump has vowed if returned to the White House in November to “completely overhaul" what he has described as the “corrupt Department of Injustice.” He has also threatened to jail those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, writing in recent post on X that they will face ”long term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again."

Garland did not mention Trump or Republicans in his speech. But he condemned what he described as “outrageous” attacks he says put law enforcement in harm’s way.

“These attacks have come in the form of conspiracy theories, dangerous falsehoods, efforts to bully and intimidate career public servants by repeatedly and publicly singling them out, and threats of actual violence,” Garland said. “Through your continued work, you have made clear that the Justice Department will not be intimidated by these attacks."

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has repeatedly used social media to go after Smith and other prosecutors as well as the judges handling his cases. Republicans have also falsely claimed that New York criminal case, in which Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in May, was orchestrated by Biden and the Justice Department.

Garland came into office pledging to restore the department’s reputation for political independence after four tumultuous years under Trump. But he has faced an onslaught of criticism over his department’s handling of politically sensitive cases, including the prosecution of Democratic President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, who pleaded guilty last week to federal tax charges in a case brought by a different special counsel.

Garland said that department employees have made clear through their work that they “do not bend to politics" and that they “will not break under pressure.”

“We must treat like cases alike,” Garland said. “There is not one rule for friends and another for foes, one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless, one rule for the rich and another for the poor, one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, or different rules depending on one’s race or ethnicity.”

"Our norms are a promise that we will not allow this Department to be used as a political weapon.

And our norms are a promise that we will not allow this nation to become a country where law enforcement is treated as an apparatus of politics."

There is not one rule for friends and another for foes, one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless, one rule for the rich and another for the poor, one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, or different rules depending on one’s race or ethnicity.

To the contrary, we have only one rule: we follow the facts and apply the law in a way that respects the Constitution and protects civil liberties.

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the U.S. Attorneys who have gathered for their annual conference at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Wall Street followed global markets higher Tuesday in anticipation of what most expect will be the first interest rate cut this week by the Federal Reserve in more than four years.

Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.3% before the bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked 0.2% higher.

Intel jumped more than 7% in premarket after the chipmaker announced it was expanding its partnership with Amazon Web Services in a multi-year, multi-billion dollar deal centered around Intel-made AI chips. Intel, which announced 15,000 layoffs last month after badly missing Wall Street profit targets, is aiming to save $10 billion in 2025. The company also plans to turn its struggling foundry business into a subsidiary.

Microsoft shares are almost 2% higher after announcing a share repurchase program of up to $60 billion and it raised its dividend by 10%, to 83 cents per share.

Markets have been eagerly awaiting the latest decision by the Fed, which is expected to cut its key rate for the first time since the pandemic crash of 2020 after keeping rates high to tamp down inflation. The main question is how much relief for the economy the Fed will deliver.

“The warning is that markets steeped in rich policy expectations are ripe for volatility,” Mizuho Bank said in a commentary. “Accordingly, it may be best to be braced for (policy) curveballs that could potentially force market re-pricing.”

Traders are shifting bets toward a larger-than-usual rate cut by the Fed of half a percentage point, according to data from CME Group. The difference between a half-point cut and a quarter may sound academic, but it can have far-ranging effects. Lower rates relieve pressure on the economy, but they can also fuel inflation.

Inflation has eased substantially from its peak two summers ago, and the Fed has said it can now focus on supporting the slowing job market and economy. Some critics say it may be moving too late, increasing the risk of a possible recession.

Apart from the Federal Reserve’s most anticipated meeting in years, which wraps up on Wednesday, traders also were awaiting U.S. retail sales data for August that will provide a glimpse into the mind of the U.S. consumer. Consumer spending has been the driving force behind the economy 's continued growth despite high interest rates.

Elsewhere, in Europe at midday Germany's DAX and London's FTSE 100 each climbed 0.6%. The CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.5%.

In Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei index fell 1% to 36,203.22 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong advanced 1.4% to 17,660.02.

Markets in mainland China and South Korea were closed.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.2% to 8,140.90.

The dollar fell to 140.57 Japanese yen from 140.61 yen. The yen has strengthened against the dollar with expectations that the Bank of Japan will persist in raising rates after keeping them near zero for years, although it is expected to stand pat at its policy meeting this week.

“The Bank of Japan’s upcoming policy meeting is expected to reaffirm its commitment to gradual rate hikes, which could further bolster the yen soon,” Luca Santos, currency analyst at ACY Securities, said in a commentary.

The euro was stable, up to $1.1136 from $1.1135.

U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 9 cents to $70.18 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, shed 8 cents to $72.67 a barrel.

On Monday, the Dow rose 0.6% to surpass its prior all-time high set a few weeks ago, closing at 41,622.08. The S&P 500 index ticked up by 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

FILE - The American flag hangs from the front of the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

FILE - A person stands in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm in Tokyo, on May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - People walk in front of Tokyo Stock Exchange building in Tokyo, on May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)