Inspector general report on DOJ's response to Jan. 6 likely won't be released before election

A watchdog report on the U.S. Justice Department’s handling of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot and the lead-up to the incident likely won't be released publicly before the November election, according to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

“I doubt it would be done in time for the election,” Horowitz said at a hearing on Wednesday conducted by the House subcommittee on weaponization of the federal government.

“Is it going to be done before the inauguration?” asked Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

“That is certainly my hope,” Horowitz responded.

The DOJ's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) initially opened the probe shortly after the riot took place.

At the time, the OIG said it would "assess whether there are any weaknesses in DOJ protocols, policies, or procedures that adversely affected the ability of DOJ or its components to prepare effectively for and respond to the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.”

OIG also said the probe would cover whether the DOJ shared information it had prior to the riot with other agencies, including the Capitol Police.