The Justice Department’s internal corruption watchdog has shrunk from more than 30 lawyers to just five, and its power to open new cases against lawmakers is gone.
Story Snapshot
- The Public Integrity Section, which once vetted politically sensitive cases, lost most of its staff and its authority to start new investigations.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi told Justice Department lawyers to “zealously advance” President Trump’s policies.
- Internal watchdog offices are losing staff even as misconduct complaints climb.
- Civil rights lawyers were told to pause major police reform lawsuits in several cities.
- A proposed rule would let the attorney general block state bar investigations into department lawyers.
Corruption Watchdog Loses Its Teeth
Reuters reported the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, the unit built to vet cases against lawmakers and stop politically charged prosecutions, has been stripped down. Its staff dropped from over 30 attorneys to just five, and it can no longer open new cases on its own. Supporters call it a needed fix to a biased system. Critics call it the removal of a key guardrail against abuse.
A Directive to Advance the President’s Agenda
After her confirmation, Attorney General Pam Bondi told department lawyers their job was to “zealously advance, protect and defend” the policies set by the president. Backers say that’s just normal executive control after an election. Former officials and outside legal experts say it blurs the line between the Justice Department’s independent role and the White House’s political goals.
The shift comes as the department restructures who makes key decisions. Reuters reported in 2024 that Trump allies planned to fill the department with loyal conservatives and move major calls away from career staff and toward political appointees. That plan has largely played out since January 2025, with thousands of career lawyers resigning or getting fired.
Oversight Offices Shrink as Complaints Rise
Internal watchdog offices meant to catch misconduct inside the department are also losing people. Reports show complaints against the department have hit a 20-year high while investigations into those complaints have hit a 20-year low, according to reporting on the shrinking staff. Fewer investigators means fewer answers when something goes wrong inside the department itself.
Career officials who left or were pushed out describe a department where fear of political retaliation has made watchdog staff hesitant to open new inquiries. NPR spoke with more than a dozen agency veterans and outside observers who described reassignments and firings hitting officials who had investigated politically sensitive matters. The pattern worries people across the political spectrum who want a Justice Department that answers to the law, not to whoever holds power.
Civil Rights Enforcement Paused
ProPublica reported the department froze major civil rights litigation, including police reform cases in cities like Minneapolis and Louisville, shortly after the administration took over. The department did not answer questions about why the pause happened. For families waiting on police accountability cases, the freeze meant years of work sitting untouched.
Shielding Lawyers From State Discipline
The department also proposed a rule that would let the attorney general control or delay state bar investigations into current and former Justice Department lawyers accused of misconduct. The Brennan Center described it as an attempt to shield department attorneys from outside accountability for as long as the department wants to review the claims itself. If finalized, state bar associations would lose a tool they’ve used for decades to police lawyer conduct.
DOJ has now formally argued that executive privilege can cover confidential communications between Trump and private advisers — including people outside government — when they concern official presidential decisionmaking. That could become enormously important if a future…
— Lucky Mendez (@lucky_mendez3) August 11, 2026
Two Views, One Shared Worry
Supporters see these moves as fair reforms that stop career bureaucrats from running a shadow government against an elected president. Critics see a department being reshaped to protect allies and go after political rivals. Both camps, though, agree on something bigger: fewer independent checks inside the Justice Department means fewer answers for the public, no matter who sits in the Oval Office next.
Whether Congress changes hands in the midterms may decide how much oversight power remains once the dust settles. For now, the structural changes already made will shape what investigators can and cannot do, regardless of which party controls Capitol Hill.
Sources:
aljazeera.com, brennancenter.org, theguardian.com, reuters.com, pbs.org