Florida Blocks Justice Department Monitors From Entering Polling Places
Linda Lingle, who was first appointed by President Clinton, and who would be replaced by George W. Bush, is up for re-election in 2010. (AP Photo)
Updated on September 19, 2013 at 1:17 PM CDT
The United States of America is well known for its liberal, forward-thinking policies.
But there are other issues on which the nation is also known: How to make the federal government more efficient, how to keep the country safe, and how to control the federal budget.
The Department of Justice has not always seen things this way. For all the public outcry over how the federal government handles its business, the U.S. Justice Department has been a consistent advocate for greater accountability and transparency in government, something the public has consistently opposed. This is particularly true for the nation’s chief federal law enforcement agency.
The agency, responsible for enforcing the nation’s law, not only investigates and prosecutes criminal cases, but it also is charged with monitoring the enforcement of those laws and keeping an eye on what lawbreakers are up to.
One of the most controversial ways the Justice Department monitors the nation’s law enforcement is through its relationship with the Department of Homeland Security. The agencies work together to prevent terrorism and enforce immigration laws that have been enacted to protect the nation.
But the Justice Department’s relationship with DHS goes past what has been called “good cop/bad cop,” the way the U.S. Government Police (or Secret Service) works with local law enforcement to help them carry out their duties. In the past the Secret Service would do its work in exchange for help from local departments. Now, the two services have formed a joint task force of about 200 agents.
The Justice Department is not only concerned about criminals violating the law, but also about those looking to use the system to commit terrorist