Assistant Attorney General Reflects on Employee Exodus at Justice Department
Washington – In a recent interview on “Pod Force One,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon discussed the notable departure of staff from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division earlier this year, which she referred to as a liberal “self-purge.”
Dillon mentioned that about 70% of the employees in the division left, largely due to attractive payments from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and disagreements with the Trump administration’s approach.
During the discussion with The Post’s Miranda Devine, Dillon reminisced about the podcast episode, remarking, “There were some negative comments, and I think we cried together in the session.” She added that the situation was quite shocking for those involved, filled with “drama and hand-wringing.”
She noted that support groups had emerged externally, stating that their spokesperson frequently criticized her actions on MSNBC. However, she asserted, “I think this is the largest individual self-purge in the history of the Department of Justice.”
To provide context, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division started the year with over 400 lawyers. By the time the DOGE payment proposal was introduced, more than 200 individuals had resigned, with Dillon stating that nearly 100 more followed suit afterward.
DOGE had been collaborating with various government bodies to offer incentives for federal employees. Dillon explained that Justice Department staff were provided a “five-month package,” which amounted to a substantial one-time payment.
“I didn’t fire anyone. I just told them they needed to change how they approached their work. They left voluntarily with a nice golden parachute,” she explained.
Dillon’s directives were a key factor behind this mass departure, particularly her new instructions aimed at aligning the department’s policies with President Trump’s vision on civil rights.
After taking the helm at the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, she promptly reached out to over 40 higher education institutions, asking for documents related to their initiatives on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
“No one should cry for them. They will likely do just fine,” she emphasized, indicating that many former employees found positions in “pseudo-nonprofits” and activist organizations.
Despite the departures making her civil rights work more challenging, Dillon shared that the agency is “struggling to complete the paperwork to finally begin hiring” in accordance with the president’s policies.
Reflecting on her career, she mentioned facing similar challenges early on but successfully established her own path with a civil rights organization. “All the major law firms I communicate with seem to be dominated by the left,” Dillon noted, suggesting they allocate extensive resources to contentious issues. “We don’t have those large institutions on the right,” she added.
Prior to her tenure in the Trump administration, Dillon co-founded the Center for American Liberty, a conservative nonprofit focusing on civil rights litigation, and established the Dillon Law Group, which has represented Trump legally.
She made an unsuccessful attempt to become the chair of the Republican National Committee in 2023.
“I aim to serve the American people, the president, and the attorney general well, then return to private practice and thrive in my career,” Dillon stated.
