After months of allegations on a number of fronts and from several prominent Republicans, the Department of Justice announced this week that its Office of the Inspector General will review one key area of contention.
Much of the concern from some lawmakers and GOP leaders, including President Donald Trump, stems from questions regarding the process by which the DOJ and FBI secured Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrants in an investigation of Carter Page, a one-time aide to then-candidate Trump.
Sessions signaled in a news conference last month his intention to task the OIG with launching an investigation of alleged abuses by the agencies, specifically in relation to FISC practices.
His announcement came after claims were made public earlier in the month through a partisan memo released by U.S. Rep Devin Nunes, R-Calif., who chairs the House Intelligence Committee.
For Trump and some others who called for a more rigorous investigation, the response to Sessions' choice of Horowitz to lead the investigation was lackluster at best.
Do you support the OIG investigation?
The president tweeted that his attorney general's decision was "DISGRACEFUL" shortly after Sessions made his announcement last month.
"Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse," Trump wrote.
He went on to dismiss the inspector general as "an Obama guy," suggesting instead that Sessions "use Justice Department lawyers" to investigate alleged misdeeds.
Wednesday's statement revealed the initial scope of the review.
The OIG "will examine the Justice Department's and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person," the statement read.