Stacey Young Connects Us All
America used to value its public servants; it used to follow through on promises made to them, and it's not doing that.
Stacey Young spent over 18 years at the Justice Department as an attorney; first in the Civil Division for 13 years, then in the Civil Rights Division for 5 more. Having founded the Gender Equality Network to make DOJ a better place for its employees in 2016, Stacey knew going into 2025 that DOJ employees would need support from outside. Shortly after inauguration, she resigned from her role at the Department to build Justice Connection—the direct support group DOJ employees needed.
Stacey didn't need a crystal ball to know that DOJ employees would be targeted by the new administration: they said it out loud. Within the federal government, only DOJ had investigated the President for his previous unlawful actions, which made the need for Justice Connection obvious. Stacey issued her call to action as a guest essay in The New York Times, where she encouraged the public to support DOJ employees in their effort to keep the department on track. Later that month, Stacey answered the call.
Since its launch, Justice Connection has established itself as the lifeline for current and former DOJ employees. It boasts a Legal Network of over 250 DOJ alumni attorneys ready to provide pro bono support to their former colleagues who have been fired, demoted, or face unprecedented ethical challenges. The Mental Health Support Network consists of over 100 clinicians offering free or reduced fee services to current or recent DOJ employees. The Employment Support Network connects transitioning employees with alumni volunteers for informational interviews and potential job listings.
The DOJ Tracker provides a focused account recording attacks on the Justice Department and had logged 772 reported actions as of July 2026. Justice Connection responds to these attacks through advocacy campaigns and congressional testimony meant to correct the record and foster trust with the public and those still attempting to perform independently from within the Department. They provide media training, connect former employees with journalists, and help place op-eds in an effort that has resulted in over 350 media features.
In June 2026, Justice Connection also launched the FBI Support Network to foster trust with the FBI workforce, which is notoriously leery of seeking outside support. The FBI Support Network is led by former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Feinberg with assistance from a committee of former FBI leaders ranging from Forking Off's very own Jill Fields to former Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll.
One of the most important things Justice Connection provides to current and former DOJ employees is courage. Its network of hundreds of former DOJ alumni who stand ready to support their former colleagues is a formidable adversary, even for the unchecked abuse of power coming from the current administration. For those who could end up in the cross hairs of the administration's retribution campaign, knowing they can rely on support from Justice Connection can be the deciding factor in whether they choose to fight on in the name of Justice.
Connect with Stacey on LinkedIn, and find out more about Justice Connection on their website.
If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on Ko-fi, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Ryan J. Reilly
Rebecca Beitsch
Ken Dilanian
fedbarblog