In a significant restructuring effort, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is poised to dissolve its Public Integrity Section, the entity responsible for probing corruption among elected officials. This decision follows pressure exerted by the Trump administration regarding ongoing allegations against certain political figures, including New York Mayor Eric Adams.

Changes within the DOJ’s Structure

According to sources reported by NBC News, the reorganization will leave only a handful of personnel within the Public Integrity Section. The unit will no longer conduct direct investigations or handle corruption-related prosecutions, leading to the reassignment of existing prosecutors across various U.S. attorney’s offices, which will now take over these tasks.

Reactions to the Announcement

The forthcoming changes have elicited strong responses from political experts. Norman Ornstein, a noted political scientist, condemned the move as “disgraceful,” while Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), remarked that these actions underscore a troubling inclination towards corruption under Trump.

Notably, the shift follows resignations from several officials within the Public Integrity Section who objected to proposals perceived as quid pro quo arrangements involving the dropping of charges against Adams in exchange for assistance with deportation initiatives.

History of the Public Integrity Section

The Public Integrity Section has a long-standing record of prosecuting both Democratic and Republican officials for a range of offenses, including election fraud and campaign finance violations. Past cases include those against former Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell (R).

Concerns Over Future Investigations

The dismantling of this unit raises questions about the potential influence of partisan politics on future investigations. David Laufman, a former DOJ counterintelligence official, expressed serious concerns regarding whether investigations will be driven by political considerations rather than impartiality. He stated, “The only reasonable interpretation of this extraordinary action is that the administration wants to transfer responsibility for public corruption cases from career attorneys at Main Justice to political appointees heading U.S. attorney’s offices.”