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A House Democrat defended the Department of Justice allegedly tracking the private communications and phone calls of nearly a dozen Republican senators in 2023, writing on X that, "you weren’t surveilled."
Rep. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., made the remark after Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he was briefed on the matter by FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
"We were surveilled simply for being Republicans," Johnson wrote on X. "This does not surprise me, but it should shock every American. What the Biden Administration has done is an outrageous abuse of power — it is blatant political persecution. Those responsible must be held fully accountable."
Goldman responded to Johnson, saying, "You weren’t surveilled," and, "DOJ obtained basic records after the fact — date, time and length of call, but no substance — to confirm Trump’s effort to overturn the election."
"You are shameless," Goldman also said. "You laundered Russian misinformation in 2020 and then communicated with the WH on Jan 6."
Former special counsel Jack Smith was allegedly tracking the communications of the Republican senators as part of his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, Fox News Digital learned.
A document, reviewed by Fox News Digital, revealed that Smith and his "Arctic Frost" team investigating Jan. 6 were allegedly tracking the phone calls of Johnson, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.
The document, recently discovered by FBI Director Kash Patel and exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, is titled "CAST Assistance" and dated Sept. 27, 2023. "CAST" refers to the FBI’s cellular analysis survey team.
An FBI official told Fox News Digital that Smith and his team tracking the senators were able to see which phone numbers they called, the location the phone call originated and the location where it was received.
A source said the calls were likely in reference to the vote to certify the 2020 election.
An official said the records were collected in 2023 by Smith and his team after subpoenaing major telephone providers.
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