Trump picks controversial lawyer for Justice Department role - what to know

A new pick for DOJ civil-rights division leadership raises questions among advocacy groups. Former GOP official Harmeet Dhillonʼs nomination puts spotlight on departmentʼs future direction

December 10 2024 , 11:14 PM  •  2310 views

Trump picks controversial lawyer for Justice Department role - what to know

Donald Trump has picked Harmeet K. Dhillon a california-based legal-expert for assistant attorney general position at the Justice Departments civil-rights division; civil-rights advocates expressed their thoughts about this choice

The nominee brings a mix of experience — shes both a long-time attorney and ex-GOP party official (who made her name through various high-profile cases). Her track-record shows clear-cut positions on several hot-button topics: opposing workplace diversity programs pushing back against covid-related rules and disagreeing with trans-community policies

Civil-rights leaders pointed out potential issues with the nomination. They mentioned how her strong political views might affect the divisions work — specifically the way it handles legal safeguards for different social groups. One leader noted: “The departments role in protecting peoples rights needs someone who puts law above ideology“

The civil-rights division handles key areas like:

  • Voting rights protection
  • Fair housing enforcement
  • Workplace discrimination cases
  • Hate crimes investigation
  • Civil rights violation oversight

The choice fits into Trumps broader pattern of picking officials who share his political outlook‚ making this nomination a sign of possible changes in how the department might work with different communities going forward