A blockbuster report from the United States Department of Justice finds the agency’s inquiry into COVID-19 deaths at state-run veterans’ homes in New Jersey was, at least in part, politically motivated. The report found that USDOJ officials were trying to boost then-President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.

There’s no disputing the severity of the deadly COVID outbreaks at New Jersey’s state-run veterans homes. In 2020, Kane In Your Corner exposed how poor disease control procedures sparked that outbreak. Kane In Your Corner found sick and non-infected patients were housed together and the staff was ordered not to wear protective gear around patients. More than 200 veterans’ home residents died.

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Given the severity of the outbreak, it was not unusual for the USDOJ to begin investigating. But a report from the agency’s Inspector General finds the probe quickly became politicized.

A few days before the 2020 election, the report says some USDOJ officials leaked information to the media in hopes of swinging the election to Trump. The report even cites a text message from a high-ranking official, who called the effort “our last play on them before (the) election.”

New Jersey ultimately paid nearly $70 million to the families of veterans’ home residents who died of COVID-19. The state also agreed to have a federal monitor oversee the facilities.