The Department of Justice responded to President Donald Trump’s Twitter message on Sunday, demanding an investigation into whether the FBI and DOJ infiltrated his campaign during the 2016 election for “political purposes.”
In a statement, DOJ spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores said, “The Department has asked the Inspector General to expand the ongoing review of the FISA application process to include determining whether there was any impropriety or political motivation in how the FBI conducted its counterintelligence investigation of persons suspected of involvement with the Russian agents who interfered in the 2016 presidential election. As always, the IG will consult with the appropriate U.S. Attorney if there is any evidence of potential criminal conduct.”
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also responded, saying,“If anyone did infiltrate or surveil participants in a presidential campaign for inappropriate purposes, we need to know about it and take appropriate action.”
The responses from Rosenstein and Flores came after Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon: “I hereby demand, and will do so officially tomorrow, that the Department of Justice look into whether or not the FBI/DOJ infiltrated or surveilled the Trump Campaign for Political Purposes – and if any such demands or requests were made by people within the Obama Administration!”