Three senior DOJ officials leaked non-public investigative information ‘days before an election’: inspector general

 Three senior officials at the Justice Department (DOJ) leaked confidential information about an ongoing investigation to the media just before an election, according to an inspector general report. The report states that these officials broke internal rules by sharing non-public details with specific reporters, which resulted in published articles that included sensitive DOJ information. These officials no longer work at the DOJ, and they did not respond to interview requests during the investigation.

The investigation found that one of the three officials also violated the policy by sharing links to the news articles through a DOJ social media account. The inspector general's office has submitted its findings to relevant authorities for potential action, including examining possible violations of the Hatch Act.

Details about the specific investigation that was leaked have not been fully disclosed. However, Senator Chuck Grassley had previously raised concerns about leaks from the DOJ and FBI related to an investigation into President-elect Donald Trump. The closed investigation involved allegations that Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi attempted to aid Trump’s 2016 campaign with a monetary gift, but it was terminated due to insufficient evidence in mid-2020.

Grassley later requested that all records regarding the investigation into Trump be preserved, citing previous issues related to the destruction of records associated with past investigations. Trump has accused special counsel Jack Smith of leaking information related to his current investigations. He has also criticized the FBI's actions during his first term, claiming there were numerous leaks regarding probes into his campaign.

Additionally, throughout Trump's presidency, there were multiple investigations into the FBI's handling of his campaign, including memos leaked by former FBI director James Comey. The inspector general also looked into another DOJ investigation concerning Senator Bob Menendez that was leaked shortly before his indictment.

The representatives from the DOJ inspector general's office have declined to comment further on the matter.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/30/us-news/three-senior-doj-officials-leaked-non-public-investigative-information-days-before-an-election-inspector-general-finds/