Biden says he would bring DOJ Civil Rights Division into White House

Democratic nominee Joe Biden said Wednesday he’d give new powers to the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice and would bring the agency inside the White House as a way to “elevate its standing.”

Speaking at an economic summit for Black businesspeople in Charlotte, N.C., Biden said he would “significantly increase” authority for the Civil Rights Division, which enforces laws and statutes based on race and gender.

The Democratic nominee said he’d ensure the division has “access to and transparency into all police department activities across the country.” And he said he’d give the division an office at the White House so there would be more access to policy makers within his administration.

“I’d make sure there’s a combination of the Civil Rights Division having more direct authority inside the Justice Department and be able to investigate, than in fact it has now,” Biden said.

Biden said President Trump has overseen “the most corrupt Justice Department in modern American history.” He noted the DOJ has sought to defend the president against allegations from a woman accusing him of rape.

Biden vowed to stay out of prosecutorial decisions. He said he is often asked if he’d prosecute Trump if he takes the White House.

“I’m not going to prosecute anyone,” Biden said. “I’ll do what the Justice Department says should be done and not politicize.”