Senator Hawley Criticizes Democrats Over Surveillance Allegations
Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri expressed his thoughts during a hearing on Tuesday, targeting his Democratic colleagues regarding their lack of concern about former special adviser Jack Smith. Smith has reportedly been monitoring the communications of some former Republican senators.
According to reports, Smith is said to have kept track of calls and personal messages belonging to Hawley and other GOP senators, including Lindsey Graham, Tommy Tuberville, and Marsha Blackburn. Hawley cited what he heard during the Senate Judiciary Committee meetings, claiming that Democrats were not expressing adequate concerns about the situation, which he interpreted as a form of Democratic weaponization.
“At this hearing, I’ve heard a lot from my Democratic counterparts about targeting political enemies. They’ve condemned you and the current president,” Hawley stated to Attorney General Pam Bondy. “I noted their claims that President Biden never targeted his political opponents or instructed his Attorney General to do so.” He added, with an air of disbelief, that despite being aware of alleged FBI surveillance on his phone, he didn’t hear any concerns from the other side.
“It appears targeting political opponents is happening, and yet there’s silence regarding this from my colleagues,” he said. “They understand the motives behind it. They know these individuals are part of the opposition—Republicans and conservatives.”
This alleged surveillance is part of an investigation related to alleged electoral fraud, specifically concerning attempts to challenge the results of the 2020 election.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino expressed his discontent, stating it is a disgrace that the FBI had previously been used to track lawmakers’ private communications for political reasons. He assured that this time is behind us.
Following a request from Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley for oversight, Bongino informed the senators about the surveillance. According to Grassley, documents revealed that eight Republican senators were reportedly under scrutiny during an investigation about an “election conspiracy” related to the Arctic frost, which Smith has turned into a case against former President Trump.
