The DoJ Inspector General's office is now prevented from looking into FBI activities unless the FBI specifically authorizes the scrutiny.
Following an oversight hearing conducted this afternoon by Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Sen. Chuck Grassley said it's necessary to change the restrictions on the Inspector General because "the FBI is buried in a mountain of evidence proving that it cannot police itself. Accountability is a vitally important component of the effort that's needed to make meaningful changes and restore the public's confidence in the FBI."
Grassley and Leahy pledged to work together to expand the existing structure of the Inspector General's office at the Justice Department.
Leahy said, "I am encouraged by the constructive ideas that members of the committee already have offered this week to address the FBI's problems. These are in keeping with our intent of learning from the past and in looking forward and finding solutions. The erosion of public trust in the FBI troubles us all. The Bureau's budget has ballooned to over $3 billion, and simply throwing more money at the FBI is not the answer. I look forward to working with Senator Grassley and other committee members to address the systemic problems of management and accountability at the FBI by expanding the authority of the Justice Department's Inspector General to investigate misconduct within the FBI's ranks, ensuring that the Inspector General has the necessary resources to do the job, and providing strong whistleblower protections for FBI agents who fear being ostracized for coming forward with legitimate concerns."
Grassley is a senior member of the Judiciary Committee. He has conducted extensive FBI oversight in recent years and expressed concern about "a management culture at the FBI that worries more about public relations and headlines than the fundamentals of investigation." He has urged the President to select a new FBI director who "understands this problem and is willing to take the bull by the horns to make sweeping changes."
During today's hearing, Grassley also urged the creation of a Judiciary Subcommittee that would be directly responsible for oversight of the FBI. "Congress has an important responsibility to hold federal law enforcement accountable. In addition to enabling the Inspector General to make sure the FBI is doing its job properly, a renewed commitment on the part of Congress to sustained oversight of the FBI can do a lot of good," he said.