Three DOJ Officials Caught Leaking Confidential Details Before Election

In a stunning revelation, three senior officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration were found to have leaked confidential, non-public investigative details to the media just days before an election. According to a report released by the DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Monday, these actions violated internal policies, raising serious concerns about political motivations within the agency.

The leaked information, tied to ongoing DOJ matters, was shared with select reporters and subsequently appeared in two news articles. The timing of these disclosures, just before voters headed to the polls, has amplified accusations of partisan interference at the highest levels of law enforcement.

The Inspector General’s investigative summary lays bare the misconduct:

“Findings of Misconduct by Three Then Senior DOJ Officials for Violating the Department’s Confidentiality and Media Contacts Policy; and by one of these Senior Officials for Violating the Department’s Social Media Policy.”

The report reveals that the officials breached the DOJ’s Confidentiality and Media Contacts Policy by leaking details of ongoing investigations to journalists. The leaks not only undermined DOJ protocols but also resulted in public articles containing sensitive, non-public information about DOJ investigative matters.

One of the officials went further, violating the DOJ’s Social Media Policy by sharing links to these articles through an official DOJ social media account.

The OIG faced significant challenges in its investigation. None of the three senior officials were employed by the DOJ at the time they were contacted for interviews. They either declined or ignored requests for comment. While the OIG can compel testimony from current DOJ employees under specific conditions, it lacks the authority to subpoena or compel statements from former staff members.

The findings have been forwarded to multiple oversight bodies, including:

• The Office of the Deputy Attorney General.
• The Professional Misconduct Review Unit for appropriate action, given the attorneys’ involvement.
• The U.S. Office of Special Counsel for potential violations of the Hatch Act, which restricts political activities by government employees.

This incident is not the first time the DOJ has faced scrutiny over leaks. In September, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) accused the DOJ and FBI of leaking information about a previously closed investigation into then-President-elect Donald Trump.

That investigation, which examined alleged Egyptian funding of Trump’s 2016 campaign, was closed in 2020 due to insufficient evidence. Yet, it resurfaced in August 2024, with a Washington Post report citing leaked court documents and confidential sources.

Grassley, a leading voice on DOJ oversight, has demanded that Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray preserve all records related to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Trump. Grassley has expressed concerns over the DOJ’s destruction of federal records in prior cases, including those related to the Mueller probe.

The revelations come at a politically charged moment, as questions of impartiality within the DOJ have become a recurring theme. Critics argue that the department’s internal policies are insufficient to prevent partisan actors from using their positions to influence public opinion or elections.

Grassley’s concerns extend beyond leaks. He has highlighted the DOJ’s controversial use of personnel involved in prior contentious investigations, suggesting that a pattern of misconduct has undermined public trust in the agency.

This incident highlights the growing distrust in federal institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law. The perception of political bias within the DOJ and FBI has fueled public skepticism and sparked debates over the need for greater transparency and accountability.

Critics argue that the Biden administration’s DOJ has prioritized partisan interests over its duty to remain impartial. The latest revelations only reinforce this narrative, as the leaking of sensitive information days before an election raises questions about the department’s integrity.

The OIG report underscores the need for systemic reforms to prevent such breaches in the future. Legal experts and lawmakers are calling for stricter policies governing media interactions and heightened accountability for those who violate them, regardless of their political affiliations.

As oversight bodies review the findings, the question remains: will this lead to meaningful change, or will it become yet another chapter in the DOJ’s growing history of controversies?

Grassley’s call for preserving all records related to the Trump investigations is a critical step in ensuring that the truth emerges. Whether this latest scandal will prompt a broader reckoning within the DOJ remains to be seen.

For now, the revelations serve as a stark reminder of the stakes involved when federal agencies fail to uphold their duty of impartiality, particularly during critical election periods.