N.Y. Rep. Elise Stefanik backs Trump-era subpoena of journalists and Democrats
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik on Tuesday defended the Trump-era effort by federal prosecutors to subpoena phone and email records from journalists and prominent congressional Democrats.
The newly minted No. 3 member of House Republican leadership said she agreed with the Justice Department’s aggressive effort to probe critics of then-President Donald Trump for leaking sensitive information.
“We’ve seen illegal leaks from our colleagues on the House Intelligence Committee,” Stefanik said at a news conference Tuesday. “So I think it’s important that the Department of Justice determine if there were any illegal leaks, leaks by members of Congress, or their staff members.”
The upstate Republican slammed Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), one of the probe’s targets, for releasing information about his GOP colleague Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) amid the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation of Trump’s efforts to dig up dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden in Ukraine.
“That is unethical. Frankly, I believe that’s illegal,” Stefanik said.
A spokeswoman for Schiff noted that he did not subpoena any records from Nunes.
“We should all focus on getting answers and making sure the DOJ is never weaponized for political purposes ever again,” said spokeswoman Lauren French.
Congressional panels are expected to demand sworn testimony about the unusual probe from former Trump Attorneys General Jeff Sessions and William Barr, as well as former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
All three have informally denied knowledge of the subpoenas, which has raised eyebrows since Justice Department protocol requires top officials to sign off on any such move to target senior elected officials.
In the 2018, the Justice Department demanded that Apple and other tech companies hand over records of private accounts belonging to Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), their family members and several journalists.
The probe came after Trump himself accused the critics of leaking damaging information about him. Nothing ever came of the probes.
Apple recently disclosed the demands after gag orders that were repeatedly extended finally expired.
