Justice on Trial: Bondi Moves to Strip DOJ of Anti-Corruption Watchdog

What Happened

Attorney General Pam Bondi is reportedly considering a controversial overhaul of the U.S. Department of Justice. This plan could dismantle a critical internal watchdog: the Public Integrity Section (PIN).

This small but powerful unit was created after Watergate to oversee and approve federal prosecutions of public officials. Its role has been to help prevent politically motivated legal attacks.

Under the proposal now being reviewed, Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys would be allowed to pursue corruption charges against political figures without requiring PIN’s sign-off. That’s a major departure from decades of protocol designed to insulate high-profile prosecutions from partisan influence. The Justice Department confirmed that the idea is being actively evaluated. However, no final decision has been announced.

In recent years, PIN’s size and influence have dwindled. The unit has shrunk from 30 prosecutors to fewer than five amid internal disputes and high-level resignations.

The tipping point may have been a high-profile controversy surrounding the dropped case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This exposed tensions between PIN staff and DOJ leadership.

Why it Matters

Eliminating PIN’s oversight could reshape the balance of power inside the DOJ. Critics argue this would remove one of the last internal safeguards against the misuse of federal prosecutorial power.

Without PIN, politically appointed U.S. attorneys could independently decide who to prosecute. This raises the risk of partisan targeting under the guise of justice.

Dan Schwager, a former PIN attorney, stressed that the section exists specifically to ensure fairness and consistency in cases involving public officials. Without centralized oversight, he warned, DOJ decisions could swing with the political winds. That could lead to prosecuting rivals while shielding allies.

Supporters of the proposal may argue that local prosecutors know best and should have the freedom to pursue corruption without bureaucratic bottlenecks. But the downside is troubling. Removing PIN could turn corruption charges into political weapons, wielded selectively to punish opponents and protect allies.

How it Affects Readers

The consequences of this change will ripple far beyond Washington. The Public Integrity Section has quietly served as a safeguard. It helped keep federal power in check when it comes to prosecuting elected officials.

Without it, the risk of politicized prosecutions increases. That’s especially true in an era when even criminal investigations are often seen through a partisan lens.

Should the DOJ move forward with this plan, it could mean a future where public officials are targeted not just for their actions, but for their political affiliations. That’s not just bad news for politicians, it’s dangerous territory for voters, as well.

When legal systems lose impartiality, trust erodes and democracy suffers.