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(LifeSiteNews) – A pro-Trump Congressman said that three agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took his cell phone from him on Tuesday while he was traveling with his family.
The seizure comes a day after FBI agents raided the Mar-A-Lago Florida home of President Donald Trump, a decision that has been widely criticized by conservative leaders and commentators and even former liberal Democrat New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
“They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish. I’m outraged — though not surprised — that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland’s DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress,” Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) said, according to the Washington Examiner. “My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends. None of this is the government’s business.”
Perry is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and objected to the certification of the election results on January 6, 2021. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s January 6 committee has subpoenaed Perry but he has declined to answer questions.
Perry’s office further said that “as with President Trump last night, DOJ chose this unnecessary and aggressive action instead of simply contacting my attorneys.”
“These kinds of banana republic tactics should concern every Citizen — especially considering the decision before Congress this week to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to further persecute law-abiding Citizens,” Perry said through a media statement.
Republican colleagues criticized the seizure of Perry’s phone.
Rep. Scott Perry files articles of impeachment against Merrick Garland.
Garland sends the FBI to retrieve his private cell phone.
This is America, and these Gestapo tactics are not welcome. There will be a reckoning. https://t.co/747N6KLdT9
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) August 9, 2022
“Rep. Scott Perry files articles of impeachment against Merrick Garland. Garland sends the FBI to retrieve his private cell phone. This is America, and these Gestapo tactics are not welcome. There will be a reckoning,” Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) tweeted.
“Now Congressman Scott Perry’s phone? The FBI has gone rogue and is doing the dirty work of a communist regime. Who is giving these orders?” Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted.
Now Congressman Scott Perry’s phone?
The FBI has gone rogue and is doing the dirty work of a communist regime.
Who is giving these orders?
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 9, 2022
The House Freedom Caucus also condemned the raid on Trump’s home and the seizure of Perry’s phone. Linking the raid on Trump to the seizure of Perry’s phone, the Caucus wrote the incident “exposes how the Biden Administration has dangerously weaponised the U.S. Justice Department against Democrat political opponents.
“Republicans must match this unprecedented action with an equally historic and powerful oversight effort to root out all abuse and corruption within our federal law enforcement,” continued the Freedom Caucus. “The Biden Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation [sic] will be put under a microscope and examined piece by piece. Corrupt officials must be aggressively cleared out will all possible vigor and speed to restore accountability and transparency in Washington.”