The Justice Department confirmed that there’s a plan to disempower its Public Integrity Section, responsible for reviewing cases brought against sitting members of Congress. However, a spokesperson could not say if or when the plan would take effect.
The Public Integrity Section (PIN, for short) of the Justice Dept. was created after Watergate to oversee prosecutions and investigations involving public officials. Since Trump took office, PIN has already lost at least 26 of its 30 prosecutors to terminations and resignations.
The DOJ manual requires prosecutors to consult with PIN during investigations of sitting lawmakers, to ensure that legal action taken against them has a solid foundation and is not politically motivated.
If PIN is permanently disabled or that policy is changed, federal prosecutors will be able to weaponize the Justice Department by indicting members of Congress on any allegation, even without evidence of criminal activity. This comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi has redirected the DOJ towards culture war issues and accused Democratic representatives of legal offenses.
Public corruption cases are complicated and can be difficult to prosecute… But cutting the Public Integrity Section out of the approval process for lawmaker prosecutions entirely could give presidentially appointed U.S. attorneys more authority in shaping public corruption cases, making prosecutions more political, said Dan Schwager, a former Public Integrity Section attorney who now works in private practice.
The Washington Post
At the time of this writing on May 20, 2025, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) has just been charged with assaulting law enforcement officers at an ICE detention facility earlier this month. Video shows McIver being pushed and shoved in a crowd of protesters, not assaulting anyone.
