Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) drew a sharp rebuke from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) Thursday after she demanded a “reckoning” on the surveillance of her Senate GOP colleagues, something, Massie suggested, she herself helped facilitate with her past votes.
“We need to know why AT&T and Verizon did not challenge the subpoena for the phone records of 8 United States Senators when the Biden FBI spied on us during an anti-Trump probe,” Blackburn wrote Wednesday in a social media post on X. “There needs to be a reckoning for this.”
The following day, Massie responded with a sarcastic rebuke, reminding her of her own voting record.
“It’s called the Patriot Act, [the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act], and [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency],” Massie wrote on social media, responding to Blackburn’s comments. “Please vote no next time.”
As a House member, Blackburn voted several times for extending provisions of the Patriot Act, which was first signed into law following the 9/11 attacks to enhance national security by drastically expanding the federal government’s authority to conduct surveillance. She’s also voted to increase the ability of CISA to share “cyber threat indicators” with private companies.
Massie was not the only person to jump on Blackburn’s comments, with X user “simulxxx,” who operates the artificial and technology consulting company Q32 and has amassed more than 5,500 followers, calling out what they characterized as the senator’s “gaslighting.”
“Because it's the law that your party made happen after 9/11 and still won't back down on supporting,” they wrote in a post on X. “Stop gaslighting. There is ONE political party: propping up fed power. And TWO ‘flavors of lies.’”
Even pro-Trump self-described conservatives were quick to call out Blackburn on her supposed outrage over the alleged monitoring of her GOP Senate colleagues, including X user “MissBeck12,” who frequently posts pro-Trump content and has amassed nearly 15,000 followers.
“Patriot Act, FISA, and CISA. Perhaps Republicans should vote NO the next time these come up for renewal?” they wrote in a post on X.
“All members of Congress know how unconstitutional and intrusive these are, but you all believed you're immune to the consequences of your votes. Until the laws you pass jump up and bite you in the a$.”
It’s called the Patriot Act, FISA, and CISA. Please vote no next time. https://t.co/3qZqH81ydx
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 9, 2025