Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) is suing to prevent the Department of Justice from reviewing the contents of his cell phone as part of an investigation into his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
FBI agents seized the Pennsylvania Republican's phone on Aug. 9 and turned it over to the Justice Department's inspector general, who is leading an inquiry into Donald Trump's effort to overturn his election loss, and investigators say Perry played a key role by connecting the former president with former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, reported Politico.
“[F]ederal agents should not be given carte blanche to root around in Rep. Perry’s phone data looking for evidence that they hope might further their investigation,” wrote Perry’s attorneys John Rowley and John Irving wrote in a 16-page suit filed last week in Washington D.C. federal court.
The suit indicates that investigators have not yet examined his phone and are seeking a second search warrant that would cover the review, but Perry is fighting that effort and wants the government to return his phone and all of its data.
The GOP lawmaker claims the data on his phone includes material protected by attorney-client privilege, marital privilege and a constitutional clause that shields members of Congress to most legal action related to their official duties.