The Federal Bureau of Investigation is going to court to conceal records relating to a scheme in which the agency spied on the bank records of millions of Americans as part of its investigation into the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is considering an appeal from the non-profit public interest law firm Judicial Watch in its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for records of communication between the FBI and several banks demanding all financial transactions made by people in D.C., Maryland and Virginia on January 5 and January 6, 2021.
Judicial Watch filed its appeal in November 2022, after the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled the FBI could withhold records of its communication with several financial institutions regarding the agency’s request for all financial transaction records for all account holders in three states, despite the Constitution’s prohibition on searches and seizures made without probable cause or that do not state a particular thing to be searched or seized.
Under FOIA Judicial Watch requested “all records of communication between the FBI and any financial institution, including but not limited to Bank of America, Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Discover, and/or American Express, in which the FBI sought transaction data for those financial institutions’ debit and credit card account holders who made purchases in Washington, DC, Maryland and/or Virginia on January 5, 2021, and/or January 6, 2021.”
In its appellate brief, Judicial Watch argued the request “appears to be an unprecedented abuse of the financial privacy of thousands of Americans.”
“Substantial and compelling evidence demonstrates that the FBI sought and received records from financial institutions of anyone who used a credit card or engaged in other transactions in the Washington, D.C. area on January 5 or 6, 2021. This would include many thousands of persons living in the Washington, DC area, including possibly members of this Court,” Judicial Watch’s appeal noted.
The court upheld the FBI’s decision to withhold the document, claiming the agency had never confirmed or denied the existence of any records.
Judicial Watch points out the FBI confirmed the records’ existence in several filings against January 6 defendants using the records’ existence.
“For instance, court records filed in support of a criminal case include the FBI’s statement of facts that provides the defendant’s address, which was obtained through ‘his Bank of America account and recent Expedia transactions,’” Judicial Watch notes.
In another case, Judicial Watch reports the FBI “confirmed that it obtained records from PNC Bank and discusses in detail the multiple ways that it used the financial data” and “financial records obtained from JP Morgan Chase bank corroborate [the defendant] used a credit card issued in his name to purchase gas and food en route to Washington, DC …”
“[Judicial Watch] more than adequately demonstrated that the FBI may have sought and received records from financial institutions of anyone who used a credit card or engaged in other transactions in the Washington, DC area on January 5 or 6. If so, this would be an unprecedented abuse of the financial privacy of thousands of Americans. [Judicial Watch’s] FOIA request to investigate this should not be blocked by a meritless Glomar response,” the firm argues.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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Since when dies the FBI not required to submit information to the courts and Judicial Watch. The FBI has shown that they can’t be trusted and are bending their knees to the corrupt Democratic Party. Time for them to admit their crooked plans with Garland and other criminally involved people in the Democrat party. We saw some of the tapes from January 6 and their biased senators who sat in trying to take down President Trump. Not all democrats but the crooked Rhinos also involved ie Kinzinger and Cheney. The FBI has shown they aren’t fit to be involved in governmental business. I’m not saying all of them but Garland directed them and he’s as crooked as a nail. It’s the top group at the FBI that are corrupt ie invasion of Trumps Mar alago, arresting a father who was protecting his child and we could go on. Impeach Garland and fire those in the FBI responsible for their actions against Trump and Conservatives. Time for Biden and all Democrats to be permanently removed for their lying corrupt actions!!!
Every bank that gave out this information needs sued. FBI needs shut down . They are not about protecting the American citizens anymore. They have become the Gestapo for the democrats to control the American citizens. No honor left in the FBI. They have stepped on the constitution with smiles on their faces. Evil is what FBI, DOJ and the democrats are all about.
The new FBI motto “the FBI knew before”………….
NO, make public
Thats wrong
Goes both ways
If these goons succeed, we will have to reword our National Anthem as follows: ‘…o’er the land of the Creep and the home of the Slave.’ God forbid!!!