Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Trump Justice Department is weighing an action that could end the public integrity department’s power to oversee the prosecution of members of Congress, potentially opening the door to politically motivated prosecutions. Washington Post Report.
If the proposed change is passed, U.S. attorneys in the president-appointed position may sue members of Congress without having to sign in the attorney in the Public Integrity Section (PIN), thereby reducing the office’s ethical observer role. Prosecutors no longer need to consult key points during investigation and prosecution during investigation and prosecution during investigation and prosecution.
The Justice Department website noted that the gate was established after the Watergate scandal. PIN also "supervises nationwide investigations and prosecutions for election crimes."
According to the paper, a source confirmed that the proposed changes are being reviewed, but have not been determined.
In March, Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judicial Subcommittee, issued an alarm to the members of the Judicial Committee of the Federal Court. Associated Press The Justice Department reportedly reduced the size of its office from 30 prosecutors to five. Some reductions in staff came from the resignation of PIN leadership when senior Justice Department officials directed prosecutors to file corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams.
"Any move to further weaken the public integrity department would show that the Trump Justice Department intends not to protect the American people from corruption," Rhode Island Democrats wrote. "The public integrity department created in response to Watergate exists to ensure that the Department of Justice investigates corruption fairly and thoroughly without considering the political views or loyalty of these officials. This part firmly pursues justice to the Republican and Democrats."
PIN prosecutors participated in Adams' corruption investigation and indictment and sued former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for corruption-related charges. The office also intervened when former U.S. interim prosecutor Ed Martin attempted to sue Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the two Supreme Court justices. PIN lawyers told Martin that the comments were not prosecutable threats. postal source.
"This is part of a shift in the power of restricting law enforcement experts," said Paul Butler, a Georgetown law professor and former PIN attorney.