By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who headed the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and created that office’s Second Amendment Section, has resigned, the first departure of a high-profile Trump administration official following the midterm elections, and who is now being hailed by gun rights activists as a champion.
Under Dhillon’s leadership, the Civil Rights Division shifted focus to include challenging Second Amendment infringements, such as suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for lengthy delays in processing concealed carry permit applications.
According to Fox News, Dhillon actually resigned about three weeks ago, but was asked to delay her announcement until after the midterms. She reportedly believed she had “accomplished everything” she had hoped to when she came aboard at DOJ.
Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement: “Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor. The Department is grateful for her dedicated public service, and we wish her every success in her future endeavors.”
Her departure comes as more bad news for the Second Amendment community, which has been frequently pleased that, for the first time in memory, brought attention to gun rights abuses by taking or threatening legal action. This was viewed as a refreshing change from previous administrations, which essentially looked the other way when local agencies and state legislatures ratcheted down on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Earlier this year, the Duke Center for Firearms Law detailed five significant cases Dhillon’s division filed.
Dhillon appeared during this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, where she was interviewed by Tom Gresham, host of “Gun Talk.”
She told Gresham that she believes the Second Amendment protects a fundamental right, and that she is a gun owner.
Yahoo News described Dhillon as “A longtime Republican Party official and former campaign lawyer for President Donald Trump, Dhillon (who) has dramatically reshaped the Civil Rights Division, redirecting its priorities toward religious liberty, Second Amendment protections, election integrity, and combating antisemitism on college campuses.”
There was no immediate announcement about who would succeed Dhillon.
