 |
| Adam Schiff - now the chair of the House Intelligence Committee - was reportedly one of those targeted. ( Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Democrats demanded a probe into reports that officials acting under former President Donald Trump seized lawmakers' Apple account information. The New York Times stated that prosecutors subpoenaed the tech giant for account data for at least two House Intelligence Committee members.
Representative Adam Schiff - now the committee's chairman - was reportedly one of those targeted. On Thursday night, representative Eric Swalwell told broadcaster CNN that he’s another Democrat targeted. He confirmed that family members' information - including a child's - was also obtained. According to the New York Times report, prosecutors under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the request for Apple data in 2017 and early 2018. They were reportedly looking for the source of news reports about contacts between Russia and associates of Republican President Trump. The Justice Department also managed to get a gag order to stop Apple from telling those involved, the paper said. That order only expired this year, and Apple reportedly told the targets last month.
Meanwhile, none of the data seized tied any of the Democrats, their aides or their family members to the leaks, the New York Times said. US intelligence agencies say that Russia worked to help Donald Trump's election campaign in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. He and his campaign were later accused of colluding with Russia in this effort.
