A rookie Democratic congressman sounded the alarm after the FBI and Justice Department told him that they had been monitoring his phone calls.
According to a Thursday report by Politico, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) revealed in a statement that federal authorities monitored his phone conversations with a state senator. The FBI and DOJ informed him about the wiretapping and said it was part of a corruption investigation, Politico reported.
The FBI and DOJ have been investigating Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas for possible corruption and bribery, according to local reports. A Virginia ABC affiliate described Lucas as a "powerful Democrat" in the state's legislature and noted that her office and businesses were raided in May over alleged bribery.
Subramanyam previously served as a state lawmaker in Virginia and is now a first-term member of Congress. According to Politico, the FBI and DOJ wiretap happened between March and April, which Subramanyam described as "extremely suspicious" because it lines up with when Virginia Democrats were campaigning for a referendum to enable mid-decade redistricting.
"Trump's DOJ has become his own personal law firm, with his former personal attorney carrying out vendettas on Trump's political enemies," Subramanyam said in a statement, referring to Attorney General Todd Blanche. "They have politically investigated multiple states' Attorneys General and the former FBI director. Now they admit they have surveilled conversations by a sitting Democratic Congressman."
No charges have been filed against Lucas, and the scope of the FBI's investigations against her remains unknown, Politico noted. The Virginia ABC affiliate noted that it remains unclear whether the wiretaps of Subramanyam's phone calls were related to the raid of Lucas' offices.
"This should concern anyone who believes in a real Department of Justice that serves the American people and not a singular president," Subramanyam said.
The DOJ didn't respond to Politico's request for comment.
Virginia voters notably approved the redistricting referendum on April 21, but the Supreme Court of Virginia struck it down in early May.
