Official report or announcement from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel

DOJ Report: Officials Leaked Info Before Election, Hatch Act Violations Forwarded

Jan 1, 2025, 05:57 PM

A report by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has found that three senior DOJ officials violated internal policies by leaking non-public investigative information to the media shortly before an election. The leaked details, which pertained to ongoing DOJ matters, were shared with select reporters, resulting in the publication of two news articles. One of the officials also violated the DOJ's social media policy by reposting links to the leaked articles through a DOJ account. The investigation, led by Inspector General Michael Horowitz, was initiated following allegations of politically motivated disclosures. The three officials were no longer employed by the DOJ at the time of the investigation and declined to participate. The findings have been forwarded to the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Professional Misconduct Review Unit, and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel for potential Hatch Act violations. The specific election and investigative details involved remain unclear.