Seeking to investigate leaks of classified information, the Trump Justice Department in 2017 and 2018 secretly obtained phone and text message logs of 43 congressional staffers and two members of Congress in a far broader probe than previously known, according to a new report by the department’s internal watchdog. The fact of the seizures had previously been reported, but the IG revealed new details about the broad scope of the effort. The records obtained included phone and message logs showing who was communicating with whom, but not the content of the communications. Patel was among the congressional staffers whose records were seized in the leak investigation, according to a lawsuit he filed. "It is particularly concerning that the Department of Justice hoodwinked a judge into signing off on secret surveillance on both Democrats and Republicans in Congress."

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Persons: General Michael Horowitz, —, Trump, Bill Barr, Barr, Democrats — Sen, Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, Donald Trump, Kash Patel, Patel, Department’s, ” Sen, Ron Wyden, Wyden, Department of Justice hoodwinked Organizations: Trump Justice Department, DOJ, Prosecutors, Apple, Justice Department, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Biden Justice Department, Democrats, House Intelligence Committee, Department, Department of Justice, Republicans Locations: Russia