A Return to Justice

Yesterday's Justice Department decision to drop the prosecution of former Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) was something that illustrated the essence of postpartisan change that President Obama promised he would bring to Washington.
Some on the left may view this decision as the administration capitulating on the pledge to crack down on corruption and change the culture of Washington. After all, Stevens certainly was involved in some shady dealings. His guilt is very possible in this case. However, the charges against him are not what determined the importance of Wednesday's decision by Attorney General Eric Holder. Rather, the acknowledgement of government misconduct in the investigation and trial demonstrate the commitment of the Obama administration to turning the page on politically motivated decisions at DOJ.
So maybe a weathered, corrupt member of the Republican old guard walks free. But this is not Ted Stevens vindication, but rather a sign that the administration is doing just what Obama has for so long told us we must: acknowledging that government is not the instrument with which political grudges should be settled. While perhaps a downer in terms of galvanizing his party for the political games many have grown accustomed to our leaders in Washington being little more than generals of, Holder's decision emphasizes the importance of fairness at the Justice Department, a welcome change of course from the Ashcroft/Gonzales/Mukasey years. After all, a government that seeks to fulfill its duty to the American people rather than serve as a battleground for partisan warfare, something that the Obama brand has always been about, is a change that's tough to believe in until we see it. Let's hope this is just a preview of that.