{"id":2479993,"date":"2025-08-28T15:03:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdog-group-sues-for-records-on-spying-targeting-trump-associate-michael-caputo\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:05:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:05:10","slug":"watchdog-group-sues-for-records-on-spying-targeting-trump-associate-michael-caputo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdog-group-sues-for-records-on-spying-targeting-trump-associate-michael-caputo\/","title":{"rendered":"Watchdog group sues for records on spying targeting Trump associate Michael Caputo"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/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%2Fwatchdog-group-sues-for-records-on-spying-targeting-trump-associate-michael-caputo%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=2479993&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 article reports that Judicial Watch,a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-nations-second-largest-teachers-union-influenced-cdc-on-school-reopening-guidelines-delayed-return-to-classrooms\/\" title=\"Report: Nation\u2019s Second Largest Teachers Union Influenced CDC On School Reopening Guidelines, Delayed Return To Classrooms\">conservative watchdog group<\/a>,has filed lawsuits against the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) for failing to adequately respond to Freedom of Details Act requests concerning email surveillance of Michael Caputo,a former adviser to Donald trump&#8217;s campaign. Judicial Watch alleges that Caputo&#8217;s Gmail account was secretly surveilled via a search warrant in 2023 shortly after he joined Trump&#8217;s 2024 campaign. The group seeks subpoenas issued to Google, communications between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/treasury-department-hit-with-large-scale-breach-national-security-council-now-involved\/\" title=\"Treasury ... Hit with Large-Scale Breach, National Security Council Now Involved\">federal officials<\/a> about Caputo, and investigative documents mentioning him, suspecting the surveillance was conducted in bad faith.<\/p>\n<p>Caputo was previously interviewed during Robert Mueller&#8217;s investigation into Trump-Russia collusion but has never been charged. Despite denials of wrongdoing, Caputo&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-bows-to-china-shows-weakness\/\" title=\"Biden bows to China, shows weakness\">past business dealings<\/a> and connections with Russia have drawn suspicion. The article also highlights the personal and financial toll the Russia investigation took on Caputo,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-plans-100-million-suit-against-doj-for-mar-a-lago-raid-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"... plans 0 million suit against ... for Mar-a-Lago raid - Washington Examiner\">including legal costs<\/a> and health issues. Judicial Watch claims the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >spying demonstrates politicization<\/a> by Biden-era agencies and insists the records must be released promptly. The DOJ and ODNI did not comment on the lawsuits. <br \/> <!DOCTYPE html><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/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\">Watchdog group sues for records on spying targeting Trump associate Michael Caputo<\/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\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2184186\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A right-leaning watchdog group announced Thursday that it has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.judicialwatch.org\/documents\/tags\/caputo-complaint\/?utm_source=deployer&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_campaign=press+release&amp;utm_term=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filed lawsuits<\/a> against the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence after it said the agencies &ldquo;failed to respond adequately&rdquo; to its Freedom of Information Act requests for records related to email surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Michael Caputo.<\/p>\n<p>Caputo, a longtime adviser to President Donald Trump, was subject to what the group, Judicial Watch, described as a &ldquo;secret search warrant&rdquo; of his Gmail account in 2023, shortly after he joined Trump&rsquo;s 2024 presidential campaign. Judicial Watch sought the subpoenas issued to Google demanding access to Caputo&rsquo;s account, copies of communications between federal officials regarding Caputo, and records of investigative documents produced by the agencies in question that mention Caputo. After Judicial Watch failed to receive a response that satisfied its concerns, the organization began to speculate that the surveillance of Caputo was carried out in bad faith.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3784589\/federal-lawyers-felony-indictment-dc-sandwich-guy\/\">Federal lawyers fail to secure felony indictment against DC &#8216;sandwich guy&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3784488\/fbi-reinstates-agents-biden-politicization\/\">FBI reinstates agents who faced Biden-era politicization<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3784020\/kilmar-abrego-garcia-seek-asylum-deportation-uganda\/\">Kilmar Abrego Garcia will seek asylum as he fights deportation to Uganda<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The evidence shows that the Biden FBI and Justice Department were spying on the Trump campaign,&rdquo; Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. &ldquo;Caputo used his emails to help devise strategy for the Trump campaign, and the Biden gang was rooting through it all! The lawsuits show that the lawfare and spying against Trump was only paused. These records can&rsquo;t be released soon enough.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, Caputo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2329215\/ex-trump-aide-michael-caputo-mueller-fixated-on-russia-collusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">was interviewed<\/a> as part of then-special counsel Robert Mueller&rsquo;s investigation into the Trump campaign&rsquo;s alleged collusion with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election. Previously, Caputo had been <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2017\/05\/21\/politics\/caputo-house-russia-probe\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contacted<\/a> by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in 2017 with a request to provide documents and testimony related to its separate investigation into the alleged collusion plot. Though Caputo has never been charged with anything related to the Russia collusion investigation, critics have remained skeptical of him over his past business and personal ties to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Caputo&rsquo;s consulting business had some operations in Russia, previously worked with the Russian majority state-owned corporation Gazprom, and met with Russian national Henry Greenberg after Greenberg claimed to have damaging information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>Caputo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2018\/06\/17\/politics\/roger-stone-henry-greenberg-michael-caputo\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denies<\/a> having known that Greenberg was a Russian at the time of their meeting and has <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2017\/05\/21\/politics\/caputo-house-russia-probe\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">further denied<\/a> discussing Russia with Trump in ways relevant to the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The only time the President and I talked about Russia was in 2013, when he simply asked me in passing what it was like to live there in the context of a dinner conversation,&rdquo; Caputo said in 2017.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3486934\/how-the-intel-community-worked-keep-public-dark-trump-russia-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>HOW THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WORKED TO KEEP THE PUBLIC IN THE DARK ON TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Caputo&rsquo;s life has been turned upside down by the Russia investigation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very expensive and nobody&rsquo;s called me and offered to help,&rdquo; Caputo said in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1807905\/russia-probes-leave-trump-associates-struggling-with-huge-legal-bills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interview <\/a>with the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>in 2017. &ldquo;The problem is, it&rsquo;s very specialized representation, so it takes a certain type of attorney, and they&rsquo;re quite competent. And you&rsquo;ll pay for competency.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Caputo told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that he had to liquidate his children&rsquo;s college fund to cover the costs of legal representation. He also developed head and neck cancer, from which he has since recovered, while under scrutiny from investigators.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Russiagate almost killed me,&rdquo; Caputo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.racket.news\/p\/exclusive-for-some-russiagate-never\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;It was 100% stress.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ and ODNI did not respond to requests for comment.<\/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> <\/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>Watchdog sues DOJ, ODNI over Trump aide spying records<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2479994,"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\/2023\/12\/c0ba0cf39d5b390b32742b8e845d4c4c.jpg?w=512","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4585,62185,9541,12404,62184],"class_list":["post-2479993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-lawsuit","tag-michael-caputo","tag-spying","tag-transparency","tag-watchdog-group"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/c0ba0cf39d5b390b32742b8e845d4c4c.jpg?w=512","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2479993","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\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2479993"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2479993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2479997,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2479993\/revisions\/2479997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2479994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2479993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2479993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2479993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}