DOJ Letter to House Judiciary Committee Chair Signals Unwillingness to Compromise Integrity of Investigations

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent a letter to the new chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), signaling that it is unlikely to share information about ongoing probes to safeguard the “integrity” of the investigations. The letter read that the department is “committed to cooperating with the Committee’s legitimate efforts to seek information,” adding that “any oversight requests must be weighed against the Department’s interest in protecting the integrity of its work.”

The letter also warned that the DOJ probably wouldn’t share any “non-public” information. House Republicans have made clear they plan to use their new majority to investigate the DOJ’s handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe and other matters.

The DOJ’s letter emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of its investigations, prosecutions, and civil actions. It stated that “the Department’s mission to independently and impartially uphold the rule of law requires us to maintain the integrity of our investigations, prosecutions, and civil actions, and to avoid even a perception that our efforts are influenced by anything but the law and the facts.”

The DOJ’s response to the House Judiciary Committee’s document requests is a clear indication that it is unwilling to compromise the integrity of its investigations. The DOJ’s commitment to protecting the integrity of its work is a reflection of its mission to uphold the rule of law and ensure that its investigations are not influenced by anything other than the law and the facts.