for us adhering to these policies principles and Norms in everything we do is how we fulfill the promise that is foundational to our democracy that all people will be protected equally under the law and that all people will be held accountable equally under the law our Norms are a promise that we will fiercely protect the independ dependence of this department from political in interference in our criminal investigations 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 [Applause] in addition to seeing how you have operated in the face of dangers like violent crime and terrorism I have also seen how you have bravely carried on in the face of an unprecedented spike in threats targeting a range of public officials across the country over the past three and a half years there has been an escalation of attacks on the Justice departments career lawyers agents and other Personnel that go far beyond scrutiny criticism and legitimate and necessary oversight of our work these attacks have come in the form of conspir conspiracy theories dangerous falsehoods efforts to bully and intimidate career public servants by repeatedly and publicly singling them out and threats of actual violence through your work you have made clear that the justice department will not be intimidated by these attacks but it is dangerous and outrageous that you have to endure them it is dangerous to Target and intimidate individual employees of this department so Sol for doing their jobs and it is outrageous that you have to face these unfounded attacks because you are doing what is right and upholding the rule of law you deserve better you deserve gratitude for the noble and difficult work you do you deserve recognition for the integrity and skill with which you do that work you deserve to be honored the work you do every day makes a difference and the way you do that work makes clear that the public servants of the Department of Justice do not Bend to politics and that they will not break under pressure [Applause]