An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring in the Department of Justice Honors Program
and the Summer Law Intern Program

Special Report
June 2008
Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Professional Responsibility


Table of Contents
  1. Introduction

  2. Background on Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP)

    1. Changes to Hiring Process Made in 2002
    2. Department Hiring Standards
  3. Hiring for Honors Program and SLIP from 2002 to 2006

    1. Component Selection Process

      1. Overview of Processes Used by the Components
      2. Summary of Processes Used by Individual Components
    2. The 2002 Screening Committee

      1. Process Used by the Screening Committee
      2. 2002 Honors Program and SLIP Data Analysis
      3. Conclusions on 2002 Honors Program and SLIP Hiring Process
    3. The 2003 to 2005 Screening Committees

      1. 2003 Honors Program and SLIP Data Analysis
      2. 2004 Honors Program and SLIP Data Analysis
      3. 2005 Honors Program and SLIP Data Analysis
      4. Conclusions on the 2003 to 2005 Honors Program and SLIP Hiring Process
    4. The 2006 Screening Committee

      1. The Screening Committee’s Decisions
      2. Concerns About the Screening Committee Process Raised with the OARM Director
      3. Concerns About the Screening Committee Process Raised with Elston
      4. Concerns About the Screening Committee Process Raised with the Acting Associate Attorney General
    5. Initial Proposed Changes to the Honors Program and SLIP Hiring Process

    6. Additional Revisions to the Honors Program and SLIP Hiring Process

    7. Evidence as to Whether 2006 Screening Committee Members Considered Political and Ideological Affiliations

      1. Lack of a Written Record
      2. Daniel Fridman
      3. Esther Slater McDonald
      4. Michael Elston
    8. Conclusions on 2006 Honors Program and SLIP Hiring Process

  4. Conclusions and Recommendations

APPENDIX



Index of Charts


Chart 1: Average Number of Honors Program and SLIP Candidates Hired Each Year by Select Components between 2002 and 2006
Chart 2: 2002 Honors Program Candidate Universe
Chart 3: Affiliations of 2002 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 4: Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2002 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 5: 2002 Honors Program Candidate Membership in the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society
Chart 6: Political Affiliations of 2002 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 7: Political Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2002 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 8: 2002 SLIP Candidate Universe
Chart 9: Affiliations of 2002 SLIP Candidates
Chart 10: Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2002 SLIP Candidates
Chart 11: 2002 SLIP Candidate Membership in the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society
Chart 12: Political Affiliations of 2002 SLIP Candidates
Chart 13: Political Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2002 SLIP Candidates
Chart 14: Honors Program Deselection Rates from 2002 to 2006
Chart 15: 2006 Honors Program Candidate Universe
Chart 16: Affiliations of 2006 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 17: Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2006 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 18: 2006 Honors Program Candidate Membership in the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society
Chart 19: Political Affiliations of 2006 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 20: Political Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2006 Honors Program Candidates
Chart 21: 2006 SLIP Candidate Universe
Chart 22: Affiliations of 2006 SLIP Candidates
Chart 23: Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2006 SLIP Candidates
Chart 24: 2006 SLIP Candidate Membership in the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society
Chart 25: Political Affiliations of 2006 SLIP Candidates
Chart 26: Political Affiliations of Academically Highly Qualified 2006 SLIP Candidates



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