Trump's DOJ secretly obtained call records of his FBI pick Kash Patel with other lawmakers
Kash Patel's call records secretly obtained.
The US justice department under former United States president Donald Trump secretly obtained call records of two members of Congress and 43 staffers, including, Kash Patel – Trump's pick to lead the FBI – CNN reported citing a watchdog report released on Tuesday (Dec 10)
Although Patel and two Congress members were not named in the report, sources familiar with the case told CNN that hewas targeted. Patel was a staffer for the GOP-led House Intelligence Committee at the time.
The report further revealed that prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ)during the Trump administration even sought emails from journalists of CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
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The report said DOJ investigators issued a broad sweep based on the doubts regarding who may have had access to leaked sensitive information.
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Seeking records was based on “the proximity in time between access to classified information and subsequent publication of the information… risks chilling Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch,” the justice department’s inspector general wrote at the time.
Headded that such a move “exposes congressional officials to having their records reviewed by the Department solely for conducting Congress’ constitutionally authorized oversight duties and creating, at a minimum, the appearance of inappropriate interference by the executive branch in legitimate oversight activity by the legislative branch”.
However, nochargeswere recommendedagainst anyone by the inspector general at the time.
Kash Patel to lead the FBI?
Trump on November 30 announced thatloyalist Kashyap "Kash" Patel was his choice for director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that Patel, a former Pentagon official, "will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation" replacing current FBI Director Christopher Wray, anotherpick from his first term.
(With inputs from agencies)
