{"id":2378540,"date":"2024-12-10T14:19:01","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T19:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-admonished-for-subpoenaing-records-of-aides-and-reporters-including-patel-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-12-10T14:21:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T19:21:26","slug":"doj-admonished-for-subpoenaing-records-of-aides-and-reporters-including-patel-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-admonished-for-subpoenaing-records-of-aides-and-reporters-including-patel-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ admonished for subpoenaing records of aides and reporters, including Patel &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-admonished-for-subpoenaing-records-of-aides-and-reporters-including-patel-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2378540&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The recent report by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-jim-jordan-gives-ultimatum-on-the-upcoming-electoral-college-showdown-video\/\" title=\"WATCH: Jim Jordan Gives Ultimatum On The Upcoming Electoral College Showdown (VIDEO)\">raised concerns<\/a> about the Department \u2062of Justice&#8217;s actions from 2017, \u200cwhen\u200c it subpoenaed \u200bthe phone\u2062 and email records of congressional aides and \u2062journalists\u2062 as part\u200d of \u2064a leak examination. The investigation aimed to \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">address \u200dclassified details leaks related<\/a> to the surveillance \u200dof Carter Page, \u2064a former aide to Donald Trump&#8217;s campaign. Among those whose\u2064 records were sought were two members of Congress \u200cand 43 congressional staffers,including Kash \u2064Patel,nominated \u2063by Trump as FBI director. Although Horowitz did not disclose the specific names of all\u2062 targeted officials, Representatives Adam Schiff and eric Swalwell have confirmed that their\u200c records were subpoenaed.Patel, who was serving\u2064 as a top \u2062aide on the House \u200cIntelligence Committee at the time, previously sued the DOJ\u200d over\u200c the \u200cseizure of his email data. The report \u200craises meaningful questions about the department&#8217;s oversight and \u2064the implications for\u200c press freedom and congressional independence.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOJ admonished for subpoenaing records of aides and reporters, including Patel<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1889521\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>An inspector general raised concerns Tuesday about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Department of Justice\">Department of Justice<\/a> seizing phone and email records of congressional aides and reporters in 2017 during the department&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/whitehouse-pushes-justice-dept-to-support-controversial-donor-disclosure-rule\/\" title=\"Whitehouse Pushes Justice Dept. to Support Controversial Donor Disclosure Rule\">wide-ranging investigation<\/a> into media leaks that year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz revealed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/oig.justice.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/reports\/25-010.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">92-page report<\/a> that the department sought records from telephone and internet companies regarding two members of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Congress<\/a> and 43 congressional staffers, including President-elect Donald Trump&rsquo;s FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, as part of its leak investigation.<\/p>\n<p>Horowitz said at least part of the DOJ&rsquo;s leak investigations related to classified information that appeared in the media about the surveillance of Carter Page,&nbsp;a 2016 Trump campaign aide whom the FBI wiretapped in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>Horowitz did not name any of the lawmakers or aides who were targeted, but Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) previously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2021\/06\/11\/schiff-investigation-apple-doj-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">confirmed<\/a> their records were subpoenaed.<\/p>\n<p>The aides included Patel, who <a href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.dcd.259734\/gov.uscourts.dcd.259734.1.0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">sued<\/a> DOJ officials last year for subpoenaing Google for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/project-veritas-lawyer-fbi-doj-harassing-journalists-critical-of-biden-undermining-free-press\/\" title=\"Project Veritas Lawyer: FBI, DOJ Harassing Journalists Critical of Biden, Undermining Free Press\">email account data<\/a> while he was serving as a top aide on the House Intelligence Committee. The aides also included Jason Foster, a whistleblower advocate who worked at the time for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).<\/p>\n<p>The records that were obtained were almost entirely &ldquo;non-content communication,&rdquo; which could include data such as with whom a person was communicating and when.<\/p>\n<p>Horowitz said there appeared to be no partisan motives driving the subpoenas and that the DOJ sought records nearly evenly among Republican and Democratic staffers who would have had access to the classified material that appeared in the media.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We did not find any evidence of retaliatory or political motivation by the career prosecutors who issued the compulsory process,&rdquo; Horowitz wrote.<\/p>\n<p>He said, however, that senior leadership at the DOJ was not notified about the subpoenas and that the department needs more layers of approval in place when it plans to target Congress.<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ also obtained gag orders that led to the subjects of its leak investigation not finding out that their records were obtained by the government until at least a year or more after the fact, leaving no ability for the subjects to challenge the subpoenas.<\/p>\n<p>The conduct &ldquo;risks chilling Congress&rsquo;s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch because it exposes congressional officials to having their records reviewed by the Department solely for conducting Congress&rsquo;s constitutionally authorized oversight duties,&rdquo; Horowitz wrote.<\/p>\n<p>He said it also created, &ldquo;at a minimum, the appearance of inappropriate interference by the executive branch&rdquo; into Congress&rsquo;s oversight activity.<\/p>\n<p>Horowitz found that the DOJ also bypassed multiple policies to obtain communication data of reporters from the <em>Washington Post<\/em>, <em>New York Times<\/em>, and CNN as part of the leak investigation. The reporters were not made aware of these seizures until at least a year or more later, after gag orders the DOJ had obtained were lifted.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Given the important interests at stake, we were troubled that these failures occurred, particularly given that only a few years had elapsed since the Department substantially overhauled its News Media Policy in 2014 and 2015 following serious criticisms concerning the Department&rsquo;s efforts to obtain communications records of members of the news media,&rdquo; Horowitz wrote.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The revelation that journalists&rsquo; records were improperly seized during the first Trump administration comes after Trump recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3237318\/trump-steps-up-battle-media-kill-press-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">railed against<\/a> the PRESS Act, a law passed by unanimous consent in the House this year that would shield journalists from record seizures, such as the ones Horowitz references.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration&rsquo;s DOJ updated its policies in 2021 to say it would not use &ldquo;compulsory legal process,&rdquo; such as subpoenas or warrants, against reporters when the department conducts leak investigations. The Trump administration could reverse this policy, and while the PRESS Act would enshrine it into law, the bill remains stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1889521\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1889521\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ criticized for subpoenaing aides&#8217; and reporters&#8217; records<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2378541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/slater-trump-antitrust.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6810,7076,4738,7836],"class_list":["post-2378540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-aides","tag-doj","tag-reporters","tag-subpoena"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/slater-trump-antitrust.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2378540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2378540"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2378540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2378544,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2378540\/revisions\/2378544"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2378541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2378540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2378540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2378540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}