Congressman Reveals Monitoring by Biden’s Program

Rep. Abe Hamadeh, a Republican from Arizona, has disclosed to Fox News Digital that he was among the three GOP members of Congress who were under surveillance by the Biden administration’s “quiet skies” program. This program was reportedly terminated after concerns were raised.

Earlier this week, Rand Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, confirmed that three current Republican members were monitored either during their tenure or while campaigning for office. Hamadeh mentioned that he was under observation in December 2022, noting, “I’m sadly not surprised.” He reflected on the broader implications of being conservative, likening it to the pressure faced by those in the ammunition and gun industries, where banks would close accounts in response to the administration’s pressures. He also asserted that social media companies often censored dissenting political voices.

Hamadeh found the timing of his surveillance particularly “interesting,” especially as it coincided with challenges to the 2022 election results, which were determined by a narrow margin of 280 votes out of 2.5 million. He commented, “This is a very legitimate challenge. Both sides engage in this regularly, so I can’t help but wonder if that played a role.”

Furthermore, Hamadeh described himself as “unique” due to his experience as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, having top-secret clearance and international travel experience.

The DHS announced the discontinuation of the quiet skies program in June, stating that it had become too politicized and was costing approximately $200 million annually. The department argued that the program did not effectively prevent terrorist attacks, though other methods would be pursued for ensuring safe air travel.

Hamadeh criticized the program as a political tool for the Biden administration, used against political opponents while favoring allies. He is now calling for Congressional investigations into perceived corruption affecting Americans.

Originally established in 2010 to enhance passenger screening on specific domestic and international flights, the TSA’s quiet skies initiative drew attention for its monitoring practices. Paul also revealed that he received records indicating he was monitored during domestic flights last year.

Hamadeh expressed relief that the DHS concluded the quiet skies program but noted the peculiarity of only three Republican members being targeted, suggesting that there may be other vulnerable individuals in the Democratic party as well.

In a recent press statement, Paul praised the program’s termination but emphasized that further action is required. He insisted on ensuring that such surveillance does not resume under a different guise and called for the removal of officials involved in overseeing this kind of monitoring to restore trust in the government.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Biden’s office for comments.