By Steve Neavling

A Justice Department investigation into leaked classified information led prosecutors to secretly subpoena Apple for data from two Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, as well as their aides and family members. 

The New York Times, which broke news of the subpoenas on Thursday, said records were sought from at least two dozen people tied to the committee, including U.S. Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, from 2017 and early 2018. 

Prosecutors were trying to uncover the sources behind media reports related to contacts between Trump associates and Russia. 

In the end, the investigators found no evidence that anyone involved with the committee was behind the leaks. 

The subpoenas included a gag order that prevented Apple from alerting the lawmakers about the investigation. 

The news comes after it was recently discovered that Trump’s Justice Department also secured subpoenas for reporters’ records as prosecutors investigated the leak. 

“Notwithstanding whether there was sufficient predication for the leak investigation itself, including family members and minor children strikes me as extremely aggressive,” said David Laufman, a former Justice Department official who worked on leak investigations. “In combination with former President Trump’s unmistakable vendetta against Congressman Schiff, it raises serious questions about whether the manner in which this investigation was conducted was influenced by political considerations rather than purely legal ones.”

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

The U.S. House Intelligence Committee is investigating Homeland Security’s involvement in protests in Portland and other cities.

The investigation, launched Monday, also will review the dissemination of intelligence reporters on journalists and protesters.

“Let me be clear: the reporting regarding the monitoring of peaceful protesters, creating and disseminating intelligence reports about journalists and protesters, and potential exploitation of electronic devices is deeply troubling, Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wrote in a letter to top DHS officials.

“The revelations thus far require a full accounting, and, if substantiated, must never be allowed to occur again,” Schiff added. “The Committee is therefore initiating, pursuant to its unique oversight and legislative authority, an investigation of I&A’s activities in Portland and in support of the Department’s response to protests nationwide.”

Homeland Security has drawn intense criticism for clashing with protesters and compiling intelligence reports on journalists covering protests in Portland.

The panel is calling at least nine DHS officials to testify in August.

Schiff ended his letter, saying the committee will consider “all options necessary to obtain compliance—including compulsory process.”

On Monday, Janet Napolitano, the former head of Homeland Security, criticized the department’s role in policing protests in Oregon, calling it “an abuse of authority” in a Washington Post op-ed.

Robert S. Mueller III testifies before Congress.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited testimony before Congress begins Wednesday morning and includes two separate hearings.

Mueller’s first appearance begins at 8:30 a.m. in front of the House Judiciary Committee. That will be followed by another two hours before the House Intelligence Committee.

Mueller will be accompanied by Aaron Zebley, a longtime aide granted permission to assist Mueller with questions.

Most major broadcast networks will carry the hearings live. Even Fox News, despite earlier reports, will be airing the testimony. Also covering the hearings are C-SPAN, CNN, and MSNBC, both on television and online.

Mueller will be given a 30-minute break after the three-hour House Judiciary Committee meeting that begins at 8:30 a.m.

As predicted, President Trump called the hearings “a rigged Witch Hunt.”

Just got back only to hear of a last minute change allowing a Never Trumper attorney to help Robert Mueller with his testimony before Congress tomorrow. What a disgrace to our system. Never heard of this before. VERY UNFAIR, SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. A rigged Witch Hunt!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019

FBI Director Christopher Wray in Atlanta. Photo via FBI.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

FBI Director Christopher Wray may be the next high-ranking federal law enforcement officials to be hit with a subpoena for failing to be transparent.

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said Wednesday he’s considering subpoenaing Wray to learn the status of counterintelligence investigations into President Trump and Russia, CNN reports.

The investigation began in June 2016, but it remains unclear whether the probe has ended or “mushroomed into a set of other counterintelligence investigations,” Schiff said.

“We are determined to get answers, and we are running out of patience. If necessary, we’ll subpoena the director and require him to come in and provide those answers under oath,” the California Democrat said.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Patrick Fallon, the former chief of the FBI’s Financial Crimes Section, has been hired to help the House Intelligence Committee investigate President Trump’s financial dealings, two sources familiar with the move told The Daily Beast.

Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., hired Fallon, who started this week.
The committee is investigating whether Trump’s business dealings are influencing his decision as president, Schiff announced earlier this year.

“That pertains to any credible allegations of leverage by the Russians or the Saudis or anyone else,” Schiff told CNN.

Hiring Fallon was significant, said Frank Figliuzzi, former assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.

“The fact that the Committee has hired someone at the former senior executive service level from within the FBI’s Financial Crimes Section is significant, and to me denotes an effort to apply significant resources to examining and analyzing financial findings,” Figliuzzi said. “By the time you got to the head of the Financial Crimes section, you would have substantial white collar crime and global financial crime experience, both at the street level and the supervisory level. And his role at headquarters would have had him overseeing the bulk of all financial crime cases in the FBI.”

Members of the House Intelligence Committee. Photo via U.S. Capitol.

By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com

President Trump’s decision to release a declassified report on the Steele dossier and the Democratic rebuttal to it means the FBI must cough up information on whether the report verifies the evidence suggesting a link between Trump and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign.

U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta in February supported the FBI’s decision to deny a request seeking to confirm the existence of records involving the controversial dossier, Politico reports. 

But Trump’s decision to declassify the competing reports nullifies the question of whether the documents exist.

“It remains no longer logical nor plausible for the FBI to maintain that it cannot confirm nor deny the existence of documents” related to attempts to verify information in the dossier, Mehta wrote in a 13-page opinion.

The FOIA was filed by a Politico reporter and the James Madison Project.

“This ruling represents another incremental step in revealing just how much the FBI has been able to verify or discredit the rather personal allegations contained in that synopsis derived from the Steele dossier,” said Brad Moss, a lawyer pressing the lawsuit. “It will be rather ironic if the president’s peripheral actions that resulted in this ruling wind up disclosing that the FBI has been able to corroborate any of the ‘salacious’ allegations.”

Former FBI Director James Comey

By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com

Former FBI Director James Comey slammed a House intelligence Committee report by Republicans that concluded President Trump’s campaign didn’t collude with Russia to undermine the 2016 presidential election.

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May 2017, also said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the president should avoid an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.

“I have serious doubts about his credibility,” Comey said.

Comey, who is doing a round of interviews to publicize his new memoir, added: “Sometimes people who have serious credibility problems can tell the truth when they realise that the consequences of not telling the truth in an interview or in the grand jury would be dire, But you’d have to go in with a healthy sense that he might lie to you.”

Comey called the GOP-authored report on its Russia investigation “a political document,” saying the probe “wrecked the committee.”

Trump hailed the 253-page report Friday as vindication that the special counsel investigation is a “total Witch Hunt.”

Comey accused the president of “an effort to undermine the credibility of the investigation that the special counsel’s conducting.”

Members of the House Intelligence Committee. Photo via U.S. Capitol.

By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com

The Republican-led House Intelligence Committee on Friday released a highly redacted, final report on its one-year Russia investigation, saying it found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to undermine the 2016 presidential election.

But Democrats, in a scathing rebuttal, accused Republicans of drawing a premature conclusion in a “a systematic effort to muddy the waters and to deflect attention away from the President.”

Trump seized on the report to amplify his assertion that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation should end.

“Just Out: House Intelligence Committee Report released. ‘No evidence’ that the Trump Campaign ‘colluded, coordinated or conspired with Russia,’ ” Trump wrote. “Clinton Campaign paid for Opposition Research obtained from Russia- Wow! A total Witch Hunt! MUST END NOW!”

The final report closes what has been a politically contentious investigation with little agreement between Republicans and Democrats.

Republicans did conclude Russia sought to sow discord ahead of the election by launching cyber attacks and propaganda campaigns on  social media.

The Senate judiciary and intelligence committees are conducting their own investigations, as is Mueller, who so far has landed indictments against more than 20 people and entities.