Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following statement after the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice released a scathing report about the lack of oversight for funds generated by undercover operations at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). On Feb. 1, 2013, Grassley asked the Inspector General to review the proceeds generated from undercover operations of the FBI, ATF and Drug Enforcement Administration. That request can be found here. It's Grassley's understanding that following this report, the Inspector General will begin looking into the other law enforcement agencies.
"Undercover operations that make money for an agency are inherently high risk and vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse because of the secrecy involved. The operations need constant oversight by supervisors and the Inspector General to ensure that officials are held accountable for how the money is used. After seeing red flags in a report that Congress requires from the FBI, I asked the Inspector General several months ago to look at all law enforcement agencies at the Justice Department that use undercover operations to generate revenue. Today's report about the ATF, only heightens the need for the Inspector General to ask some pointed questions of each law enforcement agency."
