Republican Senators Include Provision in Shutdown Bill That DOJ Cannot Subpoena Senators Phone Records – You/Me, No Such Protection

[livingston]

Republican Senators Include Provision in Shutdown Bill That DOJ Cannot Subpoena Senators Phone Records – You/Me, No Such Protection​

Republican senators have slipped a provision into the Continuing Resolution bill to re-open government, that forbids the DOJ or Judicial branch from subpoenas targeting their phone records. The Senate will be protected from abuses to the 4th amendment, but you and me – no such luck.

Additionally, as further evidence to the structural priorities of the professional Republicans, if the legislative provision is violated, each instance of violation will result in a $500,000 payment to the senator. Go figure.

[…] The provision states that electronic services providers must notify a Senate office if the provider receives a request to disclose the data from that senator, or senator’s office. Moreover, the legislative language stipulates that the provider cannot be barred from notifying the senate office under a court order, though that notification may be delayed in the event the senator in question is under criminal investigation.
[…] This portion of the legislative branch appropriations bill also appears to provide a cash bonus for those Senators who were targeted by Smith’s probe. If the provision included in the bill is violated, the Senator can sue the federal government, and if the lawmaker succeeds in the case, the person will be awarded $500,000 or more for each violation by the government. (read more)

Republican Senators Include Provision in Shutdown Bill That DOJ Cannot Subpoena Senators Phone Records - You/Me, No Such Protection - The Last Refuge

This is so perfectly Republican. Republican senators have slipped a provision into the Continuing Resolution bill to re-open government, that forbids the DOJ or Judicial branch from subpoenas targeting their phone records. The Senate will be protected from abuses to the 4th amendment, but you...

theconservativetreehouse.com

 

[livingston]

From the comments section
basic88sciencE
$500k per “offense”. And look who’s paying. It’s not the “electronic service provider” (who, of course, have already purchased these asshats), it’s the federal government, AKA the taxpayer. That’s you and me.
So not only are we not afforded these same protections, but we get to pay up every time “our” senators are “violated”.
For $500k, you can read my electronic comms all day long. Cuz really, you already do.

 

[Grimscale]

The Senate will be protected from abuses to the 4th amendment,

so how do they differentiate between "abuses to the 4th Amendment" and legitimate requests (subpoenas) due to ongoing criminal investigations?

 

[livingston]

Representative Austin Scott (GA) Blasts Senate Republicans for Paying Themselves Millions in Retroactive Penalties Within Hidden Clause in CR Bill​

Buried on page 217 of the Senate Continuing Resolution Bill [TEXT HERE], Republican Senators have inserted legislation to “retroactively” pay themselves $500,000 each for every line of communication, telephone record, email or other electronic communication, subpoenaed by the Jack Smith Special Counsel during the Arctic Frost investigation.
The payment is a penalty for retroactive subpoenas going back to January 1, 2022. The payment is at least $500,000 per phone line or email account. That means each Republican Senator is going to make millions from the subpoenas that Jack Smith previously used.

GOP Rep Austin Scott-Georgia viscerates Republican Senators​

from the comments section
Susan Harms
November 13, 2025 6:38 am


Reply to OnceAGreatNation
how does this punish anyone for the wrong doing of taping their phones? It only goes after taxpayer money.

Representative Austin Scott (GA) Blasts Senate Republicans for Paying Themselves Millions in Retroactive Penalties Within Hidden Clause in CR Bill - The Last Refuge

Buried on page 217 of the Senate Continuing Resolution Bill [TEXT HERE], Republican Senators have inserted legislation to “retroactively” pay themselves $500,000 each for every line of communication, telephone record, email or other electronic communication, subpoenaed by the Jack Smith Special...

theconservativetreehouse.com

 

[dsdmmat]

All politicians are the same, just looking for a payday on the taxpayers dime. The house republicans are working on language in a new bill to remove that provision.

I agree they should have the ability to sue the government but they should not have a guaranteed settlement.