A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee has reintroduced legislation that closes the loophole that precludes the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General from investigating misconduct by federal prosecutors.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, Illinois Democrat, and GOP committee members Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Mike Lee of Utah sponsored the Inspector General Access Act.
The bill would give the Inspector General authority it now lacks to investigate professional misconduct lawyers at the Justice Department.
The lawmakers contend that it creates an unfair double standard because other DOJ employees, such as at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals and federal prison guards are subject to IG inquiries.
“Federal prosecutors have significant authority to enforce our laws. In cases where they abuse that authority, independent watchdogs should be the ones to investigate – not fellow Justice Department attorneys. This is a cut-and-dry matter of accountability and public trust,” Mr. Grassley said in a statement.
Mr. Durbin said the bill would close a “glaring loophole in the law.”
“This is not a partisan issue. We should all agree that whoever the Attorney General is, he or she should be subject to independent oversight,” he said.
Specifically, the bill would strike the jurisdictional carve out for federal prosecutors in Title 5, Section 413 of the U.S. Code.
According to lawmakers, the bill aligns DOJ practices with those of other federal agencies, where internal watchdogs can investigate attorney professional misconduct allegations.
“The current IG oversight exemption for DOJ attorneys is nonsensical and undermines accountability in our justice system. Our simple bill changes that, ensuring DOJ attorneys are no longer off-limits for IG investigations,” Mr. Lee said.
Mr. Grassley, Mr. Durbin and Mr. Lee are joined in their legislative effort by Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Peter Welch of Vermont, Laphonza Butler of California, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida.
The Washington Times reached out to the Justice Department but did not hear back.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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