Courts & Litigation Executive Branch

Lawfare Daily: The Public Integrity Section, Threats, and Criminal Contempt with John Keller

James Pearce, John Keller
Tuesday, May 27, 2025, 7:00 AM
Discussing the proposed changes to the Public Integrity Section.

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John Keller, now a partner at Walden, Macht, Haran, & Williams, channeled his experience as the former Chief of the Public Integrity Section at the Department of Justice to discuss three recent developments with James Pearce, Lawfare Legal Fellow. They discussed proposed changes to the Public Integrity Section that could hamper the Justice Department’s ability to investigate and prosecute corruption matters in a fair and impartial matter.

Keller weighed in on whether the Justice Department has a viable prosecution theory for criminal threats or incitement in the case of former FBI Director, Jim Comey. And they discussed criminal contempt: what it is, how it differs from civil contempt, the recent criminal contempt probable-cause finding by Judge Boasberg in an Alien Enemies Act case in the District of Columbia, and whether the federal rule permitting appointment of a special prosecutor outside the Justice Department may pose constitutional separation-of-powers concerns.

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James Pearce worked at the Department of Justice for over a decade until January 2025. In the Criminal Division at Main Justice, he worked in the Appellate Section and in the Public Integrity Section. He served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Offices in Maryland (Greenbelt) and in the District of Columbia. He also worked for Special Counsel Jack Smith.
John Keller is a partner at Walden, Macht, Haran, & Williams and was formerly the Chief of the Public Integrity Section at the Department of Justice.
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