Trump-Appointed DOJ Official Concerned in Spying on Democrats to Exit Subsequent Week

Trump-appointed John Demers, head of the Department of Justice’s national security division and one of the officials involved in spying on Democratic MPs in Congress, is expected to step down late next week.

The New York Times reports, “Prosecutors overseen by Mr. Demers confiscated the files of reporters from the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN, as well as top House Democrats, while investigating classified information. The ministry’s inspector general announced an investigation into the matter on Friday.

But the Times makes it clear that spying on at least two Democratic lawmakers and their employees, family members, and even an underage child – or at least gagging that spying – had to be approved by the Attorney General.

“While it is common for the Justice Department to find out who leaked classified information to the media, it is highly unusual to secretly collect records from the press and lawmakers. Prosecutors have also prevented lawyers and executives from The Times and CNN from disclosing the files, even to the newsroom heads, another extremely aggressive move, “the Times notes.

“Such steps require the attorney general’s approval. But Mr. Demers and his senior counterintelligence deputies in the department would normally be informed and kept informed of these efforts. “

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called on Demers, whose official title is Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division, to testify.

Schumer is calling for Senate Republicans to join the Democrats to summon Bill Barr and Jeff Sessions and John Demers, the assistant attorney general who oversees the DOJ’s national security division.

“What happened here are the fingerprints of a dictatorship, not a democracy.”

– Kyle Griffin (@ kylegriffin1) June 14, 2021

The Times claims that Demers’ departure “was arranged months ago but is now amid widespread backlash over classified information leak investigations that began under the Trump administration”.

This is a breaking news and a developing story.