A day after news broke that disgraced ex-President Trump and his cronies in the Justice Department had been spying on at least two House Democrats, the Department of Justice Inspector General announced an investigation into the egregious abuse of power.
It's a good start but not nearly enough. Too often, criminal officials are given a pass even after their crimes are known. That cannot happen here.
While investigating leaks, the Trump Administration subpoenaed communications metadata on a dozen people – Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, and their aides and families (including one child). They found nothing, and the victims were never even accused of a crime. A year later, Attorney General William Barr used the subpoenas as an excuse to continue extensively spying, an unheard-of abuse of authority.
But they didn't stop there. Barr also seized phone records and attempted to obtain thousands of emails from journalists – reporting on Trump – at The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post.
This isn't just about holding Trump accountable for using the Justice Department like his own personal legal team. It's also about setting a precedent for future leaders who want to use our already-disturbing and vastly-overreaching surveillance state for their own political advantage.
Privacy, journalistic freedom, and the ability to criticize bad leadership are essential rights we must protect at all costs.
Sign here to demand Merrick Garland hold Trump and Barr accountable for spying on journalists and Democrats!
