Rep. Scott Perry Says FBI Agents Seized His Cellphone

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FILE - Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., questions Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 28, 2022. Perry says his cellphone was seized Tuesday, Aug. 9, by FBI agents carrying a search warrant. The circumstances surrounding the seizure were not immediately known. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Rep. Scott Perry said his cellphone was seized Tuesday morning by FBI agents carrying a search warrant.

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The circumstances surrounding the seizure were not immediately known. Perry, though, has been a figure in the congressional investigation into President Donald Trump’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

Former senior Justice Department officials have testified that Perry, a Pennsylvania Republican, had “an important role” in Trump’s effort to try to install Jeffrey Clark — a top Justice official who was pushing Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud — as the acting attorney general.

In a statement Tuesday, Perry said three agents visited him while he was traveling Tuesday with his family and “seized my cell phone.” He called the action “banana republic tactics.”

“They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish,” Perry said. “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.”

The lawmaker, representing Pennsylvania’s 10th District, was cited more than 50 times in a Senate Judiciary report released in October 2021 outlining how Trump’s effort to overturn his election defeat to Joe Biden brought the Justice Department to the brink of chaos and prompted top officials there and at the White House to threaten to resign.

Perry, who has continuously disputed the validity of Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania, has said he obliged Trump’s request for an introduction to Clark, then an assistant attorney general whom Perry knew from unrelated legislative matters. The three men went on to discuss their shared concerns about the election, Perry has said.

The Justice Department found no evidence of widespread fraud in Pennsylvania or any other state, and senior Justice officials dismissed Perry’s claims.

The Senate report outlined a call Perry made to then-acting Deputy Attorney General Rich Donoghue in December 2020 to say the department wasn’t doing its job with respect to the elections. Perry encouraged Donoghue to elicit Clark’s help because he’s “the kind of guy who could really get in there and do something about this,” the report said.

Perry has said his “official communications” with Justice Department officials were consistent with the law.

The Justice Department’s inspector general conducted a search in June of Clark’s Virginia home.

Perry slammed the Justice Department’s decision to serve him with a warrant as an “unnecessary and aggressive action.”

“My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends,” Perry said. None of this is the government’s business.”

The seizure of Scott’s cellphone was first reported by Fox News Channel.


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Golda
Golda
1 year ago

This is very scary. Never in my wildest dreams would I expect the FBI to turn into the goons of those who want to destroy democracy.

Aguttenshabbos
Aguttenshabbos
1 year ago

And the gun control advocates mock all those that are for the 2nd amendment, saying “you really think that we are going to have a tyrannical government that will confiscate your guns”?? After seeing what the renegade FBI/law enforcement agencies have been up to over the past few years, the answer is absolutely YES, that there is a real possibility!!

Moshe
Moshe
1 year ago

A journalist is not supposed to give his opinions in an article. Just report the facts The articles you publish keep saying that Trump’s claims of election fraud were baseless. This is an opinion. It is not a fact. There is a lot of evidence to the contrary, showing that Trump’s claims of election fraud are true.

Heshy
Heshy
1 year ago

Communist Russia taking over.

In the know
In the know
1 year ago

The democrat backstabbing baby killer Bob Casey is behind this.

Yosel
Yosel
1 year ago

The United States has officially become a third world country.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

AP=Always Propaganda:
“Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud…”

His claims were not heard in courts. Therefore, those claims are not baseless.

Baal Habos
Baal Habos
1 year ago

These comments here are mostly false. As per Reuters, state and federal judges dismissed more than 50 lawsuits presented by then President Donald Trump and his allies challenging the election or its outcome.

That’s not one or two. That is 50 election lawsuits brought by the litigious Trump. That is above the literally thousands of Financial lawsuits brought by and against Trump over his years as a failed businessman.

Justice Needs to be done.

ANONYMOUS
ANONYMOUS
1 year ago

The current regime has renamed the USA to USSA, United Socialist States of Amerika !!!

Last edited 1 year ago by SHMEREL_120
Enough
Enough
1 year ago

Four years of false hearings concerning trump and Russia then the Jan 6 commission on trump now a baseless FBI raid on his home while he was in nyc
Going after rep Scott’s phone. Has the quite revolution by the leftest to overthrow our democracy begun

Marcia
Marcia
1 year ago

No need for explanations, just taking your phone and anything else they choose to take. Gestapo tactics….

Paul Near Philadelphia
Paul Near Philadelphia
1 year ago

I wonder what the Congressman did the FBI is investigating. He ought to show us the warrant.