White House Reportedly Amends Contacts Policy with DOJ

The Washington Post reported the existence of an internal memorandum from the White House removing the longstanding firewall between the White House and Department of Justice (DOJ) personnel regarding certain communications. Traditionally, presidents and White House staff have abided by a "contacts policy" that helps maintain a separation between the White House and the Justice Department. Ordinarily, the contacts policy delineated a specific process by which the White House can communicate with the DOJ when necessary. The purpose of contacts policies, historically, has been to avoid the actual or perceived politicization of criminal investigations and prosecutions. According to reporting, the Trump Administration's updated memorandum permits contacts between the White House and the Department of Justice, even when those contacts pertain to specific targets, investigations, or prosecutions. (The date indicated is the date of media reporting because the date of the White House memo is unknown, and the memo itself does not appear to be publicly available.)