Public Integrity Section
Encyclopedia
The Public Integrity Section is a section of the Criminal Division
of the U.S. Department of Justice
charged with combating political corruption
at all levels of government through the prosecution of corrupt federal, state, and local elected and appointed public officials.
over prosecution of alleged criminal misconduct by federal judges, monitors the investigation and prosecution of election and conflict of interest
crimes, and, since 1978, has supervised administration of the Independent Counsel provisions of the Ethics in Government Act
. As of 2005, the section had a staff of approximately 28 attorneys, including experts in extortion, bribery, election crimes, and criminal conflicts of interest.
Created in 1976, the Public Integrity Section consolidates into one unit the U.S. Department of Justice's oversight responsibilities for prosecuting criminal abuses of the public trust by elected and appointed government officials. Besides prosecuting selected cases involving federal, state, or local officials, the section also gives advice and assistance to prosecutors and agents in the field in handling public corruption cases. The section's Election Crimes Branch, created in 1980, supervises the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide response to voter fraud, campaign financing offenses, and other election crimes.
The Ethics in Government Act
of 1978 requires the Attorney General to report to the United States Congress
annually on the operations and activities of the Public Integrity Section. Annual reports to Congress since 1982 are available on the section's website.
was successfully prosecuted and found guilty of all seven charges against him. The case was prosecuted by Principal Deputy Chief Brenda K. Morris, Trial Attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division's
Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska.
On February 13, 2009, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan cited William M. Welch II, Brenda K. Morris, Patty Merkamp Stemler (Chief of the Justice Department Criminal Appeals Section), and another Justice Department attorney for contempt of court. Judge Sullivan amended the contempt citation on February 14, 2009 to remove the fourth attorney. The contempt citation was for failing to turn over to defense counsel for former Senator Stevens documents relating to a complaint by a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent alleging misconduct by prosecutors in the Stevens case. Judge Sullivan had ordered on February 3, 2009, that the documents in question be given to defense counsel. In the contempt citation, Judge Sullivan described the conduct of the Justice Department's lawyers as "outrageous."
On February 16, 2009, the Justice Department stated in a court filing that it had removed six attorneys from "litigation relating to allegations of misconduct in (the case against former Senator Stevens)." The six attorneys are William M. Welch II, Brenda K. Morris, Nicholas A. Marsh, Edward P. Sullivan, Joseph W. Bottini, and James A. Goeke.
United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws in the United States, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. Criminal Division attorneys prosecute many nationally significant cases and formulate and...
of the U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
charged with combating political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
at all levels of government through the prosecution of corrupt federal, state, and local elected and appointed public officials.
Administrative history
The Public Integrity Section holds exclusive jurisdictionJurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
over prosecution of alleged criminal misconduct by federal judges, monitors the investigation and prosecution of election and conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
crimes, and, since 1978, has supervised administration of the Independent Counsel provisions of the Ethics in Government Act
Ethics in Government Act
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is a United States federal law that was passed in the wake of the Nixon Watergate scandal and the Saturday Night Massacre. It created mandatory, public disclosure of financial and employment history of public officials and their immediate family...
. As of 2005, the section had a staff of approximately 28 attorneys, including experts in extortion, bribery, election crimes, and criminal conflicts of interest.
Created in 1976, the Public Integrity Section consolidates into one unit the U.S. Department of Justice's oversight responsibilities for prosecuting criminal abuses of the public trust by elected and appointed government officials. Besides prosecuting selected cases involving federal, state, or local officials, the section also gives advice and assistance to prosecutors and agents in the field in handling public corruption cases. The section's Election Crimes Branch, created in 1980, supervises the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide response to voter fraud, campaign financing offenses, and other election crimes.
The Ethics in Government Act
Ethics in Government Act
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is a United States federal law that was passed in the wake of the Nixon Watergate scandal and the Saturday Night Massacre. It created mandatory, public disclosure of financial and employment history of public officials and their immediate family...
of 1978 requires the Attorney General to report to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
annually on the operations and activities of the Public Integrity Section. Annual reports to Congress since 1982 are available on the section's website.
Notable cases
On October 27, 2008, U.S. Senator Ted StevensTed Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
was successfully prosecuted and found guilty of all seven charges against him. The case was prosecuted by Principal Deputy Chief Brenda K. Morris, Trial Attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division's
United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws in the United States, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. Criminal Division attorneys prosecute many nationally significant cases and formulate and...
Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska.
On February 13, 2009, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan cited William M. Welch II, Brenda K. Morris, Patty Merkamp Stemler (Chief of the Justice Department Criminal Appeals Section), and another Justice Department attorney for contempt of court. Judge Sullivan amended the contempt citation on February 14, 2009 to remove the fourth attorney. The contempt citation was for failing to turn over to defense counsel for former Senator Stevens documents relating to a complaint by a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent alleging misconduct by prosecutors in the Stevens case. Judge Sullivan had ordered on February 3, 2009, that the documents in question be given to defense counsel. In the contempt citation, Judge Sullivan described the conduct of the Justice Department's lawyers as "outrageous."
On February 16, 2009, the Justice Department stated in a court filing that it had removed six attorneys from "litigation relating to allegations of misconduct in (the case against former Senator Stevens)." The six attorneys are William M. Welch II, Brenda K. Morris, Nicholas A. Marsh, Edward P. Sullivan, Joseph W. Bottini, and James A. Goeke.
External links
- Public Integrity Section (official website)