DOJ Watchdog Report Criticizes Subpoena Handling, Cites Impact on Congressional Oversight and Media Freedom

Dec 10, 2024, 04:24 PM

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog has released a report criticizing the department's handling of subpoenas during President Donald Trump's first term. The report found that the DOJ did not follow its own policies when subpoenaing phone and email records of journalists and members of Congress, including 43 congressional staffers and two lawmakers. The investigation also revealed that the DOJ secretly obtained phone records of Trump's current FBI pick, Kash Patel, during a leak investigation. The watchdog highlighted that these actions risked a chilling effect on congressional oversight and media freedom. The report specifically noted the lack of policy regarding Congress when the DOJ swept up records of lawmakers and their staff, and it criticized the DOJ for ignoring some policies when seizing reporters' records as part of media leak investigations.