What’s Happening:
Federal agencies like the DOJ and FBI have been heavily criticized in recent years. Reports have revealed these federal law enforcement agencies have allegedly compromised their ethics to pursue political ends.
The FBI was outed for seemingly protecting Joe Biden and his son in 2020. For years, the Department of Justice was accused of conducting investigations against President Trump and others in secret.
It is hard to think that Americans’ view of these groups can get any lower. But now, new information is coming out that will have even Congress members outraged. Because it appears federal agencies were spying on their communications, without their knowledge.
From Just the News:
Several current and former congressional oversight staff have been recently informed that the U.S. Justice Department seized their phone and email records back in 2017 as part of leak investigations, belated revelations that have touched off an inquiry by DOJ’s internal watchdog and raised serious concerns about the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches…Officials said the seizures were related, in part, to leak investigations stemming from the FBI’s now-discredited Crossfire Hurricane investigation into Russia collusion.
Big Tech firms including Apple and Google are only now notifying Congress members and staff that the FBI was monitoring their devices. The Feds seized phone and email communications as part of the heavily criticized Crossfire Hurricane investigation–the Russia collusion case based on fake information.
Targeted staffers included members of the Senate Judiciary and House Intelligence committees. These were people who were tasked to oversee the FBI and DOJ–which will have some lawmakers very concerned.
Leaders are already claiming a violation of the constitutionally mandated separation of powers. The FBI and DOJ are part of the executive branch. They are under the White House, tasked with enforcing federal law.
But it is Congress that is supposed to hold these agencies accountable. Congress can pass laws limiting these agencies’ power over the country. And congressional committees regularly investigate these groups, to ensure they are not abusing their power.
For the FBI and DOJ to be secretly monitoring lawmakers who have the power to hold them accountable? That creates a serious conflict of interest and should spark investigations by congressional oversight groups.
Key Takeaways:
- New reports reveal the FBI and DOJ were secretly spying on Congressmembers in 2017.
- Tech companies only now reported this information to current and former staffers.
- The FBI was targeting committee members who provided oversight to the FBI and DOJ.
Source: Just the News
