WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is reportedly planning to significantly downsize its public corruption cases unit, with the cases being transferred to U.S. attorney’s offices nationwide, according to two individuals familiar with the situation. This move comes following the resignation of the unit’s leadership in response to the dropping of corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams by a top Justice Department official. The public integrity section, established in 1976 after the Watergate scandal to handle criminal prosecutions of federal public corruption cases, had around 30 prosecutors at the end of the Biden administration.
Sources indicate that prosecutors have been informed that they will be reassigned within the department, with potentially only five lawyers remaining in the unit. The U.S. attorney’s offices across the country are expected to take over the cases previously handled by the section. While a Justice Department spokesperson stated that leadership is evaluating resources, no final decisions have been made regarding the future of the public integrity section.
This move seems to be part of a broader effort by the previous administration to weaken oversight mechanisms aimed at ensuring ethical conduct in government and business. The Justice Department’s actions include pausing enforcement of anti-bribery laws and dismissing high-profile public integrity cases. In addition to prosecuting public officials, the section is responsible for handling election-related crimes such as voter fraud and campaign finance violations. Under the Biden administration, the section also housed the election threats task force to address increasing threats of violence against election workers.
The section has been without leadership since the resignation of several supervisors amid the controversy surrounding the Adams case. The departure of the acting chief, three deputy chiefs, and a deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division occurred after the directive to drop the case from then-Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. The turmoil led to pressure on prosecutors to sign onto the motion to dismiss, with promises of potential promotion, prompting internal discord within the unit.
Despite its prestigious history with notable alumni, the public integrity section faced criticism for the mishandling of cases like the prosecution of late Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, which was dismissed in 2009 due to prosecutorial misconduct.
Smith was appointed in 2010 to oversee the reconstruction of the department and headed the division during a string of prominent corruption cases, though not all resulted in successful prosecutions. These cases included charges against former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a Republican, and former Democratic Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.
