DOJ Official Who Exposed Themselves, ‘Sexually Assaulted Civilian’ Won’t Be Prosecuted: IG

Signage is seen at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington on Aug. 29, 2020. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General’s Office won’t prosecute an assistant U.S. attorney who engaged in sexual misconduct with a civilian on a date.

The office stated (pdf) on Sept. 12 that an investigation had determined the unnamed assistant U.S. attorney exposed themselves in a public place and then “sexually assaulted a civilian while on a date,” which it noted was “in violation of state law and federal regulations governing off-duty conduct.”

After an investigation, the office also found that the assistant U.S. attorney “lacked candor in discussing” the incident with investigators.

“Criminal prosecution of the [assistant U.S. attorney] was declined,” the report reads.

The name of the assistant U.S. attorney wasn’t disclosed, and it’s unclear if the person still works as an assistant U.S. attorney.

The Inspector General’s Office noted that it sent the Executive Office for the U.S. Attorneys and DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility its report. Assistant U.S. attorneys work for the various U.S. attorneys’ offices, which prosecute federal crimes around the country.

“Unless otherwise noted, the [Inspector General’s Office] applies the preponderance of the evidence standard in determining whether Department of Justice personnel have committed misconduct,” the Inspector General’s Office stated.

Another Incident

Also on Sept. 12, the DOJ Inspector General’s Office released a separate report stating that an unidentified assistant U.S. attorney (AUSA) abused their position after being stopped by police while intoxicated.

“The OIG [Office of Inspector General] investigation found that the AUSA had engaged in misuse of position when referring to the AUSA’s title in an attempt to influence local police officers during a traffic stop,” the report (pdf) reads. “The OIG investigation also found that the AUSA engaged in conduct that was prejudicial to the government, including ignoring instructions, cursing at officers, and kicking the door of the patrol vehicle, in violation of federal ethics regulations.”

The investigation also found that the assistant U.S. attorney “had been driving a personal vehicle while under the influence of alcohol,” according to the report.

After completing the investigation, the office handed its report to the Office of Professional Responsibility “for appropriate action,” the report states.

In recent weeks, both the DOJ and FBI have come under scrutiny following the Aug. 8 raid targeting former President Donald Trump’s residence. Trump’s team and Republicans say the raid was politically motivated and designed to harm Trump’s 2024 presidential aspirations.

Currently, the DOJ and Trump’s lawyers are embroiled in a legal battle over whether a special master should be appointed to review documents seized during the FBI raid. Trump’s team urged a Florida judge on Sept. 12 to block a DOJ request to continue to review the documents.

Officials for the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.