DOJ wants to shield its lawyers from outside scrutiny. Critics worry about oversight
NPR reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has advanced a proposed rule that would let the Attorney General intervene in — and potentially delay or block — state bar investigations into federal prosecutors. The proposal, advanced under former AG Pam Bondi and still pending after her removal on April 2, has drawn pointed opposition from state attorneys general, former prosecutors, ethics experts, and bar leaders, who argue that it would insulate DOJ attorneys from professional accountability and weaken a primary external check on prosecutorial misconduct. Critics frame the move as part of a broader effort by senior DOJ leadership to shield politically motivated conduct from outside review at a moment when the Department has aggressively prosecuted political opponents and civil rights organizations. The proposal is significant because it represents legal officials using formal legal authority to dismantle a decentralized accountability structure that has historically protected the rule of law.