Virginia Democrat says FBI tapped phone as part of Lucas investigation
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) announced that he was informed by the Department of Justice and FBI that his phone calls with Virginia state Senator L. Louise Lucas were being monitored as part of an investigation into her alleged corruption. The agencies alerted several individuals in Virginia that their phones had been tapped during this investigation, wich took place between March and May – a period of heightened political activity involving committee hearings and redistricting efforts. Subramanyam criticized this surveillance, calling it suspicious and accusing the DOJ under President Trump of politicizing law enforcement to target Democrats. He emphasized that the monitoring aimed to intimidate and dissuade Democrats from opposing Trump but stated that they would continue their investigations. The FBI also conducted searches at Lucas’s office and nearby property. Lucas, a prominent Democrat and chairwoman of the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, was unaware of the investigation’s specifics, which has been ongoing since the Biden management. The allegations highlight concerns over partisan use of surveillance and the politicization of federal agencies.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) on Thursday said he was informed by the Department of Justice and FBI that his phone calls with Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas were being monitored as part of the corruption investigation into the longtime lawmaker.
The two agencies notified several individuals in the Virginia political world that their phones had been tapped as part of the investigation into Lucas.
Recommended Stories
In a press release, Subramanyam said the time frame in which his calls were monitored is “extremely suspicious,” and ripped President Donald Trump and the DOJ for surveilling a sitting member of Congress.
“Trump’s DOJ has become his own personal law firm, with his former personal attorney carrying out vendettas on Trump’s political enemies,” Subramanyam said. “They have politically investigated multiple states’ Attorneys General and the former FBI director. Now they admit they have surveilled conversations by a sitting Democratic Congressman.”
Subramanyam said his calls were monitored between March and May, noting that at the time the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was pushing for former Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify. Subramanyam sits on the committee.
“The tap took place between March and May, which was the peak of the campaigning for the redistricting referendum in Virginia,” Subramanyam said. “This was also while the Oversight Committee was calling on Pam Bondi to testify on the Epstein investigation. This should concern anyone who believes a real Department of Justice that serves the American people and not a singular president.”
Subramanyam said the monitoring of his phone was intended to “scare” Democrats away from opposing Trump.
“If this surveillance was done to scare us and to get Democrats to stop pushing back against Trump’s political overreach, they are mistaken,” he said. “We will not back down. We will continue our investigation into this President and his corrupt administration.”
In May, the FBI carried out multiple court-approved searches at Lucas’s office in Portsmouth, Virginia. Agents also searched a nearby cannabis dispensary located next door to the senator’s office.
MEET THE DEMOCRATS HOPING TO FLIP VIRGINIA’S MOST COMPETITIVE HOUSE SEATS IN NOVEMBER
At the time, Lucas said she was not aware of the cause of the investigation, and scant details are available as to the purpose of the FBI’s probe into her. The investigation into Lucas had been open since the Biden administration, the New York Times previously reported.
Lucas is the chairwoman of the state Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and is one of the most powerful Democrats in Virginia politics. As president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, she is among the chamber’s top-ranking officials.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
