Bill Barr and Jeff Sessions distance themselves from the DOJ subpoenas of Dems as IG Michael Horowitz, Congress launch investigations

According to reports, the “DOJ under Trump demanded metadata on 73 phone numbers and 36 email addresses from Apple, the company said tonight”:

New: DOJ under Trump demanded metadata on 73 phone numbers and 36 email addresses from Apple, the company said tonight. The Dept sent a broad request in February 2018 as part of its investigation that collected data on members of Congress, staffers and their families.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 11, 2021

And after Horowitz announced his investigation, Microsoft said they also received a subpoena back in 2017:

And now Microsoft too:

New: Microsoft received a subpoena in 2017 related to a congressional staffer's personal email account, the company said Friday evening. As with Apple, Microsoft was subject to a gag order that was in effect for more than two years.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 11, 2021

More on the new IG probe here:

1) DoJ IG Michael Horowitz: "The DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is initiating a review of DOJ’s use of subpoenas and other legal authorities to obtain communication records of Members of Congress and affiliated persons.."

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 11, 2021

2) Horowitz: "… and the news media in connection with recent investigations of alleged unauthorized disclosures of information to the media by government officials."

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 11, 2021

3) Horowitz: "The review will examine the Department’s compliance with applicable DOJ policies and procedures, and whether any such uses, or the investigations, were based upon improper considerations."

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 11, 2021

4) Horowitz: "The review will examine the Department’s compliance with applicable DOJ policies and procedures, and whether any such uses, or the investigations, were based upon improper considerations."

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 11, 2021

But former AG Bill Barr says he was “not aware of any congressman’s records being sought in a leak case”:

NEWS: Barr distances himself from DOJ’s secret subpoenas of Democratic lawmakers, telling @politico that that while he was attorney general, he was “not aware of any congressman’s records being sought in a leak case.” Dem leaders want him to testify.https://t.co/hwxkHrbuyN

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) June 11, 2021

Barr also said Trump “never encouraged him to target the Dem lawmakers in this case”:

Barr also said Trump never encouraged him to target the Dem lawmakers in this case.

“He was not aware of who we were looking at in any of the cases,” Barr said. “I never discussed the leak cases with Trump. He didn’t really ask me any of the specifics.”https://t.co/hwxkHrbuyN

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) June 11, 2021

Ditto for former AG Jeff Sessions:

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is telling associates that he had no idea his Justice Department seized phone records of two top Democratic Congressional critics of then-President Donald Trump https://t.co/nijFk2nhqr

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) June 12, 2021

Which means all eyes right now are on Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein:

So Barr and Sessions have denied knowing about this, while Rosenstein is so far silent https://t.co/BQXhYQw6zR

— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) June 11, 2021

Along with the IG investigation, Congress is demanding Barr and Sessions testify under oath:

INBOX: Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin say Judiciary Comm will probe secret subpoenas of House Intel members, staff and their families during Trump tenure. Say Barr, Sessions and other officials who were involved "must testify" under oath.

— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) June 11, 2021

And Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is preparing new legislation to “reform abuse of gag orders and provide more transparency about government surveillance”:

New:

Slamming Trump's "political vendetta" against Adam Schiff, Senator @RonWyden (D-Ore.) reacts to NYT revelations with plan to "introduce legislation to reform the abuse of gag orders and provide more transparency about government surveillance."

His full statement pic.twitter.com/0NCimohobL

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) June 11, 2021

The House is ready to investigate, too:

We need a full accounting of the Trump DOJ’s abuse of power targeting Congress and the press.

An IG investigation is just the start.

The full range of the misconduct must be examined, including Barr’s efforts to protect those who lied to cover up, and go after Trump’s enemies.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 11, 2021

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