Our practice

Congressional Investigations

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Counsel for witnesses, whistleblowers, and officials facing congressional scrutiny.

A congressional investigation is unlike any other proceeding. There is no judge, the ordinary rules of evidence do not apply, and the process is shaped as much by committee rules, politics, and public attention as by the facts. Yet the stakes are real: statements made to Congress can carry legal consequences, documents produced to a committee may become public, and an inquiry can trigger or intersect with Inspector General, criminal, administrative, or security clearance proceedings.

Compass Rose Legal Group has represented numerous individuals in congressional investigations and inquiries, including matters before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Committee on Ethics, as well as the Armed Services, Homeland Security, Judiciary, and Commerce Committees, among others. We help clients understand what Congress is seeking, protect their legal interests, and navigate the process with care.

Who We Represent

  • Witnesses asked or compelled to provide documents, sit for transcribed interviews or depositions, or testify at hearings;
  • Whistleblowers seeking to bring information to Congress, including Intelligence Community whistleblowers communicating with the congressional intelligence committees;
  • Individuals involved in matters before the House Committee on Ethics;
  • Current and former federal employees, intelligence officers, military personnel, and government contractors; and
  • Organizations whose activities have drawn congressional oversight attention.

How We Help

  • Assessing the inquiry, including the committee’s jurisdiction and objectives, the client’s role in the matter, and any related legal exposure;
  • Responding to letters, requests for information, document requests, and subpoenas;
  • Engaging with committee counsel and staff regarding scope, timing, format, and the conditions of any appearance;
  • Preparing clients for transcribed interviews, depositions, and public or closed testimony, and accompanying them throughout;
  • Advising on the protection of classified, sensitive, and privileged information;
  • Ensuring that whistleblower disclosures to Congress are made through lawful channels, so that the information reaches the right place and the whistleblower’s protections are preserved;
  • Coordinating the congressional matter with any parallel Inspector General, criminal, administrative, employment, or security clearance proceedings; and
  • Advising on public and media attention surrounding the inquiry, in coordination with our Government & Media Relations practice.

The Congressional Intelligence Committees

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence oversee the Intelligence Community, frequently in classified settings and on matters that cannot be discussed publicly. Matters before these committees require counsel who understand both the oversight process and the rules governing classified information.

Our attorneys have worked with the intelligence committees from several vantage points. As the first Senate-confirmed Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, I. Charles McCullough III reported to and testified before Congress, including as the lead witness at a 2014 Senate hearing on the joint Inspectors General review of the Boston Marathon bombing. While at the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Andrew P. Bakaj briefed both intelligence committees on the Intelligence Community whistleblower reprisal investigation program. In private practice, the firm has represented whistleblowers and witnesses in matters before both committees.

The House Committee on Ethics

The House Committee on Ethics reviews allegations of misconduct involving Members, officers, and staff of the House of Representatives. Its process is governed by its own rules and procedures, operates largely out of public view until the Committee acts, and can carry significant professional and reputational consequences.

We have represented individuals in House Ethics Committee matters, guiding them through the Committee’s process, preparing them for interviews and testimony, and advising on how the matter may affect their other legal, employment, and reputational interests.

Committees Before Which We Have Represented Clients Include

  • House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  • House Committee on Ethics
  • House Armed Services Committee
  • Senate Armed Services Committee
  • House Committee on Homeland Security
  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  • Senate Judiciary Committee
  • House Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Experience on Capitol Hill

Congressional investigations turn on institutions and relationships as much as on facts. The firm’s attorneys bring experience from inside government oversight, from Capitol Hill, where Andrew Bakaj previously served on the staffs of three United States Senators, and from years of representing individuals before congressional committees. That perspective allows us to anticipate how a committee is likely to proceed and to position our clients accordingly.

If you have been contacted by a congressional committee, or are considering bringing information to Congress, speak with counsel before you respond. To discuss your matter, contact Compass Rose Legal Group.