United States Department of Justice
Some of the key events about United States Department of Justice
- 1870Established to handle all federal law enforcement and criminal justice matters
- 1908The DOJ's Bureau of Investigation (predecessor to the FBI) was created without Congressional approval, raising concerns about executive overreach.
- 1909Created the Bureau of Investigation, predecessor to the FBI
- 1919The DOJ conducted the controversial Palmer Raids, arresting and deporting thousands of suspected radicals and anarchists without due process.
- 1942The DOJ supported the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, violating their civil rights.
- 1950The DOJ established a "Sex Deviates" program to purge LGBTQ+ individuals from government employment.
- 1956The DOJ's COINTELPRO program was initiated, illegally surveilling and disrupting domestic political organizations.
- 1957Created the Civil Rights Division to enforce federal civil rights laws
- 1968Established the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to provide federal funding for state and local law enforcement
- 1970Enacted the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to combat organized crime
- 1971The DOJ attempted to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers, infringing on press freedom.
- 1973The DOJ was implicated in the Watergate scandal, with several officials involved in the cover-up.
- 1984Passed the Victims of Crime Act to provide support and resources for crime victims
- 1990Implemented the Americans with Disabilities Act to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities
- 1993The DOJ's handling of the Waco siege resulted in the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians, including children.
- 1994Passed the Violence Against Women Act to improve criminal justice responses to domestic violence and sexual assault
- 2001Created the Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties to protect individual rights in the post-9/11 era
- 2002The DOJ issued memos justifying the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, later criticized as torture.
- 2009Expanded hate crime protections with the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
- 2013The DOJ was revealed to have secretly obtained phone records of Associated Press journalists, compromising press freedom.
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
United States Department of Justice Latest news
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