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Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania is a close friend and ally of former President Donald Trump, and he told Fox News that the FBI seized his cellphone on Tuesday.
Perry told Fox News that he was traveling with his family when he was approached by three FBI agents who gave him a warrant and then told him to hand over his cell phone.
The confiscation of Perry’s cellphone by the FBI comes a day after FBI agents raided President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.
According to Trump’s lawyers, the FBI removed about a dozen boxes from a basement at Mar-A-Lago on Monday.
Perry told Fox News:
“This morning, while traveling with my family, 3 FBI agents visited me and seized my cell phone.”
“They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish.”
“I’m outraged — though not surprised — that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland’s DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress.”
“My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends.”
“None of this is the government’s business.”
“As with President Trump last night, DOJ chose this unnecessary and aggressive action instead of simply contacting my attorneys.”
“These kinds of banana republic tactics should concern every Citizen — especially considering the decision before Congress this week to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to further persecute law-abiding Citizens,” he said.
Perry is a loyal Trump ally and an original member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and he took over as the group’s leader at the beginning of 2022.
Perry also agrees with President Trump that the 2020 election was lost by Trump because of massive voter fraud.
It seems that Perry has been a target of the January 6 House select committee. It’s reported that Perry was in communication with the Trump White House days and weeks ahead of the events on January 6.
Trump announced on Monday that the FBI raided his Mar-A-Lago Florida residence. Sources told Fox News Digital that the search was in connection to materials that Trump took with him from his time as president.
Sources also said that the National Archives and Records Administration referred the case to the Justice Department, which recovered 15 boxes of classified materials from the home. It has been reported that the FBI has also taken at least 10 more boxes from Trump’s residence.
It’s not clear exactly why the FBI seized Perry’s cellphone. Trump and his allies think this is a politically motivated act by the Biden administration. Perry has been a big supporter of election integrity and that there was fraud in the 2020 election.
The FBI has declined to comment on the matter.
