1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to initiate a congressional investigation into the Trump administration's Department of Justice and its pattern of misconduct before federal courts. Recent research by Ryan Goodman, a law professor at New York University, has documented over 400 cases where judges have explicitly criticized the government's conduct since January, revealing a systematic breakdown in the relationship between the DOJ and the judiciary. The findings are deeply troubling. Courts have identified at least 20 cases of non-compliance with judicial orders, over 35 cases where the government provided false or highly misleading information including false sworn declarations, and over 50 cases where government conduct was found to be arbitrary and capricious in violation of administrative law standards. These criticisms come from judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents across the country, demonstrating the bipartisan nature of judicial concern. This behavior undermines the constitutional system of checks and balances that protects all Americans. When the Justice Department provides false information to courts or ignores judicial orders, it damages the trust essential to our legal system. This affects everything from criminal prosecutions to immigration cases, with consequences for both individual rights and the rule of law. The Constitution was designed with the expectation that government officials would act in good faith before the courts. The rapid succession of these incidents places enormous stress on our justice system. Congress has a constitutional duty to provide oversight when an executive branch agency engages in conduct that judges across the political spectrum have characterized as improper. I urge you to use your oversight authority to investigate these documented instances of DOJ misconduct, hold hearings with affected parties and legal experts, and take legislative action to ensure accountability and prevent future violations of court orders and judicial trust.