WASHINGTON – Empower Oversight has recently learned of the U.S. Department of Justice had subpoenaed the personal phone records and emails of Empower’s founder, Jason Foster, while he worked on Capitol Hill in 2017, along with several other staff, both Democrats and Republicans.
The personal intrusion into congressional staff members raises serious questions about the basis including constitutional separation of powers and privilege issues raised by the Speech or Debate Clause, and attorney-client communications of those targeted with these subpoenas which should have triggered requirements for enhanced procedural protections and approvals.
Empower has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to shed light on possible Justice Department wrongdoing, as well as law enforcement policy, specifically the Justice Department’s use of grand jury subpoenas to obtain personal communications records of congressional staffers investigating the department.
To see the full FOIA, please click here.