The Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Justice Department has come under fire after reports that some of its personnel have an apparent political bias against the targets of their investigations.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Justice Department is facing intense scrutiny amid allegations of political bias among its personnel. According to recent reports and documents reviewed by Fox News Digital, certain OIG attorneys tasked with overseeing investigations into Trump administration officials appear to hold partisan views.
America First Legal (AFL), a conservative legal group, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the DOJ, demanding an investigation into the alleged presence of politically motivated employees in positions that require impartiality.
One of the attorneys under scrutiny is Deborah Falk Zerwitz, who has donated over $6,000 to Democrats and Democrat-linked entities since 2007. Zerwitz is currently overseeing the OIG's investigation into the department's 2020 probe into deaths in state-run nursing homes in New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Zerwitz's social media activity has raised concerns, as she has "liked" numerous political posts that disparage former Attorney General Bill Barr and Trump appointees. She also expressed support for posts accusing Sen. Mitch McConnell of "eroding our democracy."
Another OIG attorney, Jennifer Ramella, has donated over $300 to the Democratic PAC ActBlue between 2020 and 2022. She is also involved in the nursing home death probe investigation.
Christina Monta, a former OIG counsel who investigated potential issues with mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania during the 2020 election, has made several contributions to ActBlue and Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Senate campaign. Monta has a history of supporting progressive causes, including advocating for biological males to use women's bathrooms.
AFL's FOIA request emphasizes the need to determine whether these partisan views persist within the OIG, especially as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The group argues that those in government tasked with being impartial should not wield their power to target political opponents.
The OIG has asserted that its employees' constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, are respected while emphasizing the objectivity and fact-based nature of its work. However, the Civil Service Reform Act also prohibits the OIG from discriminating against employees based on political affiliations.
AFL Executive Director Gene Hamilton maintains that if the OIG, meant to serve as a watchdog, exhibits partisan bias, it has no reason to exist. The allegations have sparked concerns about the independence and integrity of the OIG, raising questions about whether it can effectively fulfill its mission of detecting and deterring misconduct within the Justice Department.
