FBI Disbands Public Corruption Squad Supporting Trump Investigation

The FBI's Washington Field Office has disbanded its federal public corruption squad, known as CR15, which played a key role in supporting special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The closure is part of a broader reorganization that includes shifting FBI resources toward immigration enforcement, an area primarily managed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite the disbandment, the FBI stated that public corruption investigations will continue under a new structure, with agents from CR15 reassigned to other parts of the bureau. The decision follows significant cuts earlier this year to the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, which also investigated corruption cases and faced controversy after prosecutors were pressured to drop a case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Critics, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and advocacy groups like Justice Connection, argue these moves signal a weakening of efforts to combat political corruption and describe the CR15 unit as having been weaponized for partisan attacks against Trump and his allies. The developments have sparked concerns about the federal government's commitment to investigating public corruption.