“THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES …”
Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) leader Debbie Wasserman Shultz – who was forced from her position in the aftermath of the #DNCLeaks scandal last year – has been caught on tape threatening the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police with “consequences” for holding onto computer equipment connected to an ongoing cybersecurity investigation.
“The Florida lawmaker used her position on the committee that sets the police force’s budget to press its chief to relinquish the piece of evidence Thursday, in what could be considered using her authority to attempt to interfere with a criminal investigation,” Luke Rosiak of The Daily Caller reported.
Oh, and there’s video …
(Via: The Daily Caller)
“My understanding is the the Capitol Police is not able to confiscate Members’ equipment when the Member is not under investigation,” Wasserman Schultz told Capitol Police chief Matthew R. Verderosa during a hearing on the latter’s budget.
“We can’t return the equipment,” Verderosa replied.
Wasserman Schultz’s answer to that?
“I think you’re violating the rules when you conduct your business that way and you should expect that there will be consequences,” she said.
Whoa …
Verderosa and other law enforcement agencies are investigating one of Wasserman Schultz’s technology advisors, Imran Awan, a Pakistani who according to Rosiak’s report is suspected “funneling sensitive congressional data offsite.”
You’d think Wasserman Schultz would be willing to cooperate with such an investigation, but apparently not.
What sort of equipment are we talking about?
From Rosiak’s report …
A federal employee with knowledge of the situation and who requested anonymity told The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group that as House authorities closed in on Imran Awan and his brothers, a laptop used by Imran was hidden in an unused crevice of the Rayburn House Office Building. Wasserman Schultz’s office is in Longworth House Office Building, a separate structure.
The laptop was later found by Capitol Police and seized because it was relevant to the criminal investigation, the source said.
Our guess?
Whatever is on that laptop must be all sorts of serious …
WANNA SOUND OFF?
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Banner via The Daily Caller