DOJ Watchdog Shuns Reference to Politicization in Assessment (1)

The Justice Department’s internal watchdog stripped references to political independence in a drastically shortened annual list of challenges leaders face.

The department’s Office of Inspector General issued a report Monday laying out the most pressing concerns that was silent on the topic of partisan influence or public perceptions of politicization. That’s a departure from previous years and comes as DOJ has become closely aligned with the White House during the second Trump administration.

In each of the prior four years, DOJ’s inspector general published “top management and performance challenges” reports that were more comprehensive and warned of the need to ensure DOJ actions are made free from politics.

A spokesperson for the IG’s office said “we won’t have anything to add to today’s report.” DOJ also declined to comment.

The 2025 version—less than one-fifth the word count of its 2024 counterpart—does flag “maintaining public trust” in the department as a “core, enduring challenge.” This part of the report emphasizes “applying the law to the facts,” which OIG said improves the odds of witnesses cooperating and jurors agreeing with prosecutor arguments.

But the DOJ watchdog, now run by a temporary leader after longtime Inspector General Michael Horowitz departed in June, omitted concerns about partisan motivations that report authors previously saw as serious threats to the department’s credibility.

Numerous veteran attorneys and investigators at DOJ’s watchdog have left in Horowitz’s wake, as whistleblower lawyers have grown concerned that OIG will no longer provide rigorous oversight.

Later on Monday, the watchdog’s website was updated to show Don Berthiaume, who’d been the acting IG since October, was moved down to senior adviser. Longtime second-in-command William Blier has assumed the role of deputy inspector general “performing the duties” of the IG, after Berthiaume reached the statutory maximum number of days in office as acting.

The challenge of ensuring public trust in the department has been listed in every one of these statutorily mandated OIG reports since 2007. But starting in 2021, the inspector general began addressing the rising public disapproval of the department and rhetoric accusing DOJ of partisanship.

The latest report comes in an environment of widespread complaints from former officials in both parties that DOJ leaders appointed by President Donald Trump are carrying out his personal agenda, such as prosecuting his perceived enemies.

OIG has received multiple requests in recent months from lawmakers and nonprofits to investigate allegations of improper politicization by DOJ officials.

Monday’s report doesn’t directly address any of those complaints and whether they’ve led to investigations.

“Criminal wrongdoing and administrative misconduct by Department employees undermine the public’s trust in the Department,” the report states, without referencing a particular incident. “The Department can gain the public’s confidence by supporting investigation of its personnel who engage in wrongdoing.”