Justice Department's Subpoenas Risked Oversight Chilling Effect

The U.S. Justice Department's Inspector General found that prosecutors' subpoenas on Congress members and staff during Trump's early presidency risked impeding congressional oversight. A 2017-18 probe into media leaks involved 45 individuals, citing no political motives, but hinted at inappropriate Justice Department interference. The case is now closed.

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog has raised concerns about the potential chilling effect prosecutors' subpoenas had on congressional oversight during the early term of President-elect Donald Trump.

A report from the Office of Inspector General detailed how records from two Democratic Congress members and 43 staffers were subpoenaed in 2017-2018 investigations into classified information leaks to media outlets. This occurred following a Washington Post article about a 2016 meeting between Trump campaign adviser Jeff Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak.

While no political motives were found, the watchdog noted that congressional oversight efforts were inadvertently drawn into a federal criminal investigation. The Justice Department's actions were concluded to at least appear as potential interference, though no charges ensued, and the investigations are now closed.

(With inputs from agencies.)