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FBI Dismantles Key Public Corruption Unit Following Trump Administration Reorganization

The CR-15 squad, central to investigations into 2020 election interference, has been dissolved, with agents reassigned and resources redirected toward immigration enforcement.

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before a Senate Committee on Appropriations and Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Overview

  • The FBI’s Washington Field Office has disbanded CR-15, a public corruption squad that supported investigations into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
  • CR-15 was instrumental in the Arctic Frost probe, which led to one of two federal cases against Trump, both later dropped after his 2024 election victory.
  • The dissolution aligns with a broader Trump administration shift in DOJ and FBI priorities, reallocating resources from corruption investigations to immigration enforcement.
  • Earlier this year, the Justice Department significantly reduced its Public Integrity Section, further limiting federal oversight of public corruption.
  • Critics warn that these changes undermine accountability for political misconduct, while Republican leaders, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, praise the move as addressing perceived political bias.