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Senator alleges FBI obtained senators' phone data; witness affirms transcript claims
Summary
The senator accused the FBI of obtaining cellphone data for roughly 20% of senators and said Jack Smith reviewed text messages of 44 members of Congress; Mister Blanch answered affirmatively to the questions but the exchange records assertions without documentary verification in the transcript.
During questioning the senator alleged that the FBI obtained cellphone location data for about 20% of senators (including the questioner) and that prosecutors led by Jack Smith obtained and reviewed text messages from 44 members of Congress, including 19 Republican senators.
"Just yesterday, chairman Grassley revealed that even more senators' communications were targeted," the senator said, and Mister Blanch answered "Yes, senator." The transcript captures the senator's claim and the witness's affirmative responses but does not include documentary evidence or independent verification of the data requests.
The exchange framed the issue as both an oversight concern and an accountability question for DOJ leadership. The transcript records the senator's allegations and the witness's confirmation responses, leaving verification of the investigative records to follow-up work outside the hearing record.
