Federal Accountability Brief

DOJ OLC expands executive privilege to cover private advisers; House Democrats push back. DOJ proposes shielding its attorneys from state ethics boards. DOJ lawyer Kromberg evades ethics sanction. Interior Secretary Burgum shreds documents, uses Signal, installs Project 2025 author as acting OIG. GAO finds DOGE ethics records a mess, savings claims unreliable. Senate confirmed key oversight nominees. D.C. Circuit blocks EPA from canceling $20B in climate grants. Congressional Black Caucus pushes federal review in Wells death case. CREW demands answers on Pam Bondi's records use. Trump admin blocks nuclear safety watchdog from accessing facilities. VA OIG reports failure to complete brain injury evaluations for 142,000 veterans. Democrats challenge Skadden law firm. Sen. Schumer introduces Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act. Congressional Democrats launch probe into deportations of U.S. military members. Trump installs loyalist Will Scharf as White House counsel. New: Whitehouse & Reed seek GAO audit of Trump's unauthorized $300M+ ballroom project; D.C. Circuit already ruled it illegal; Supreme Court temporarily blocks ballroom. Democrats prepare oversight plans for 120th Congress. New: GAO warns fraudulent accounts bypassed Login.gov identity checks; DOJ OIG probes DEA fentanyl enforcement in New Mexico; former federal prosecutor sues DOJ for political firing; new Hatch Act complaint against AG Blanche for campaigning at rally; whistleblowers from DOJ Civil Rights Division allege political interference in Title VI investigations; Trump appointee warned about destruction of records amid ongoing investigations; food-safety cuts under DOGE hollow out inspection capacity; CLC/CREW file Supreme Court brief opposing Trump ballroom project. New: Top DHS lawyer faces bar complaint for attacking judges on social media; TIGTA finds IRS systems accessible to thousands of staffers on leave; whistleblower alleges Trump admin's antisemitism task force rushed investigations and predetermined outcomes; FOIA request targets Hegseth's opaque review of women in combat roles; Hayes/Beyer introduce legislation to enforce congressional access to federal facilities. New: OSC has six pending Hatch Act complaints against top Trump appointees (Lutnick, Leavitt, Miller) and filed disciplinary actions against two federal employees; Democrats press Comer to bring AG Blanche in for Epstein files testimony; Trump's vanity projects (ballroom, Kennedy Center) face legal challenges as test of presidential power limits. New: DNC FOIA lawsuit seeks records on possible federal seizure of ballots before certification; DOJ has lost 23 consecutive court cases on voter-roll demands. New: CREW files ethics complaint against OPM Director Scott Kupor for financial conflicts (Robinhood stock sales while promoting Tech Force partnership). New: Deep dive reveals VA IG Mason's cozy relationship with Secretary Collins—bathroom demands, killing preliminary alerts, delaying reports, cutting Congress out—exemplifying IG capture. New: Wyden and Casar request GAO probe into federal hacking of Americans, including ICE spyware use. New: Democrats plan oversight probes targeting Trump family corruption, crypto profits, and Qatari jet for 2027. New: Public Citizen report finds nearly 60 top Trump officials worth $100M+, highlighting structural corruption risk (Lutnick, Feinberg ties). New: Watchdog complaint to Interior OIG over potential misuse of federal funds for political activity at National Wildlife Federation. New: Democrats gear up for broad oversight agenda if they retake House, including Trump family corruption, Epstein ties, Iran war handling; White House braces with executive privilege memos. New: Trump's $1.4B crypto profit while shaping policy raises fresh ethics questions; GENIUS Act gaps on deposit insurance and money laundering. New: Jeffries meeting Kushner signals potential behind-the-scenes collaboration, raising questions about future oversight credibility. New: NSA IG audit finds lack of oversight of NDAs, most lack whistleblower protections; Grassley involved. New: Report exposes $638M left-wing charitable election spending through tax-exempt charities, raising dark money concerns. New: DHS surveillance of community meetings and churches without judicial oversight using facial recognition and data brokers. New: Trump administration systematically dismantling merit-based civil service through obscure rules and executive orders, threatening accountability. New: Political interference in federal statistical agencies: non-citizen voting report produced by non-career staff with AFPI ties, lacking rigor. New: DHS IG confirms FEMA crew violated Hatch Act by skipping Trump-sign homes during Hurricane Milton; training failures noted. New: Jeanine Pirro faces bar complaint for attempting to indict Democratic lawmakers; grand jury refused to indict. New: Pentagon blocks GAO report on F-35 under CUI, raising transparency concerns. New: Jeffries-Kushner meeting backlash underscores tension between oversight and compromise. New: Systematic campaign against inspector general independence highlighted as underappreciated scandal.