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Read. Follow. Verify.Congressional Hearing on Federal Use of Confidential Informants
Record date · January 1, 2017
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What This Bill Does
This hearing transcript documents a 2017 House Oversight Committee review of how the DEA and ATF manage and oversee s. The committee examined the risks associated with using informants in criminal investigations and discussed findings from a Department of Justice report.
The hearing addresses the oversight of federal law enforcement practices involving over 6,000 active informants and $260 million in spending over a five-year period.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Drug Enforcement Administration
The agency is subject to congressional oversight regarding its management and funding of confidential informants.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
The agency is subject to congressional oversight regarding its management and funding of confidential informants.
Department of Justice Inspector General
The office is responsible for auditing and reporting on the informant programs of the DEA and ATF.
Key Facts
- The DEA and ATF maintain a combined total of over 6,000 active confidential informants at any given time.
- The DEA and ATF spent approximately $260 million on confidential informant activities over a five-year period.
- The Department of Justice Inspector General conducted an audit of informant management at the DEA and ATF.
- The committee cited a 2012 incident where an ATF informant committed sexual abuse in a hotel room paid for by the agency.
Show all 5 facts
- The hearing was held on April 4, 2017, by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many informants do the DEA and ATF use?
How much money is spent on these informants?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Oversight of Informant Programs
The hearing highlights a shift toward greater congressional scrutiny of the financial and operational management of confidential informants within federal law enforcement.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment40Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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