Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey has questioned the legality of Rep. Adam Schiff’s (D-Calif.) recent acquisition of phone records for five individuals, one of whom is House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).
Schiff is already facing criticism of his actions as Democratic members of Congress pursue the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
But, in what’s being called a “stunning abuse of congressional power,” Schiff divulged the phone records of Nunes, attorney Rudy Guiliani, and others during a recent session of the impeachment inquiry.
He denied he ordered the subpoena of Nunes’ records — but Schiff defended it, arguing it is common practice for investigators to use phone records to corroborate or contradict a witness’s testimony.
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Regardless of what was included in the records, Mukasey says Congress lacks the legal ability to subpoena records from a phone company directly, an action limited to law enforcement agencies or in life-threatening cases. – READ MORE