WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) reintroduced the bipartisan Inspector General Access Act to allow the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) to investigate alleged DOJ attorney misconduct.
“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,” Grassley said.
“The American people deserve top-notch attorneys representing them at the Justice Department, and Justice Department prosecutors should be subject to independent oversight regardless of the Attorney General. Allegations of professional misconduct should be investigated by the Inspector General, or else we could end up with another instance like the Jeffrey Epstein sweetheart deal struck by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta. This is a simple, bipartisan fix for a clear loophole in federal law, and I thank Senator Lee for joining me in this effort,” Durbin said.
“The current IG oversight exemption for attorneys is a nonsensical carve out. Our simple bill changes that, ensuring DOJ attorneys are held to the same standard as other federal agencies. I'm proud to partner again with Senator Durbin on this common-sense bipartisan effort,” Lee said.
As a founding member of the bipartisan Senate Inspector General Caucus, Grassley has supported the Inspector General Access Act since it was first introduced in 2015.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) cosponsor the bill.
Read bill text HERE.
-30-