Washington, D.C. — A troubling trend suggests the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) watchdog may be wasting valuable time and resources investigating conservative conspiracy theories instead of focusing on serious evidence of corruption, according to a new analysis from the Center for American Progress.
The analysis comes as the DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), led by Michael Horowitz, is expected to release a report related to President Donald Trump’s unsupported claims that the FBI spied on his 2016 campaign. While early reports indicate the investigation will refute those claims, the fact that such a report is being issued at all raises serious questions about Horowitz’s priorities.
During Horowitz’s tenure as inspector general, there have been no investigations into possible corruption related to the Trump administration within the DOJ. Public records suggest that he is the only inspector general at a major federal agency who has not investigated at least one potential instance of corruption or abuse of power by a Trump appointee.
Horowitz’s approach to the Trump administration is deeply troubling given the key role the DOJ plays in enforcing anti-corruption laws across the government, the analysis says. If such investigations do not occur, serious questions must be asked as to what is preventing the DOJ’s OIG from carrying out its duty.
Read the column: “The Lack of Oversight in Trump’s Justice Department” by Maggie Jo Buchanan and Will Ragland
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.