Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has indicated that Republican colleagues are justified in their concerns regarding the Justice Department's alleged collection of text messages from 44 members of Congress during former Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations. The documents, released by the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggest potential overreach in accessing communications related to probes into former President Donald Trump.
"I think we need to have more facts. Look into it. Republicans are rightly concerned about the possible breach of norms and improper access to email," Blumenthal told Fox News Digital. He added that the Justice Department's actions were "rightly concerned" about possible improper access to emails.
The documents indicate that text messages from a bipartisan group of lawmakers and White House staff were accessed as part of Smith's investigations into the January 6th Capitol breach and Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving office.
While Blumenthal offered a rare note of bipartisan acknowledgment of potential issues, other Democrats remained tight-lipped. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who was among the lawmakers whose messages were reportedly seized, declined to comment. Senators Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., also declined to comment when approached.
Republicans have intensified scrutiny, with some alleging that Smith may have perjured himself. They point to a discrepancy between his testimony and the newly released documents, claiming he answered "no" when asked if he had requested text messages from lawmakers. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., voiced strong criticism, calling Smith a "political hack" who does not exercise his power objectively.
The Judiciary Committee asserts that the Justice Department's protocol was violated. According to documents, a "filter team" was supposed to review communications before the investigative team could access them. However, contractors managing the review software allegedly failed to set up proper permissions, allowing the investigative team to view messages that had not been screened, as detailed in a letter from the DOJ to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., when asked about the allegations against Smith, stated he had not closely followed the issue and did not know if Smith's previous statements were misleading.