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Fox News host Sean Hannity took on the “Deep State” in the monologue of Tuesday’s edition of “Hannity,” pointing to an abuse of power and surveillance efforts that crosses the line, and it should come as no surprise that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., appears to front and center in the controversy.
“President Trump is absolutely right, the Deep State’s abuse of power — it is very real, and under Joe Biden it is now going unchecked,” Hannity said to open the show. “And now, we find out the FBI has acquired the single most sophisticated spying tools ever designed by man.”
Responding to an allegation leveled by U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, Hannity called attention to Republicans possibly being spied on by Capitol Police.
“The inspector general for the Capitol Police opened a formal investigation into serious claims that Republican members of Congress are being unlawfully and were unlawfully surveilled by Capitol Police, potentially at the direction of Nancy Pelosi,” he said.
Hannity pointed to a Politico story that stated, “After the January 6 insurrection, the Capital Police’s intelligence unit quietly started scrutinizing the backgrounds of people who met with lawmakers…”
“Even Republican staffers were allegedly targeted with surveillance,” Hannity said, before referencing Nehls claim that Capitol Police entered his office without his knowledge.
“Dressed like construction workers, [they] began taking pictures of a whiteboard before being confronted by a staffer who was still in the office. The police then interrogated the staffer about the contents on the whiteboard, which detailed various legislative plans that are under consideration,” Hannity said.
The Fox News host then called attention to a tweet posted Tuesday by the GOP lawmaker suggesting that he may have become a target because of his vocal criticism of Pelosi and the Capitol Police for their handling of events on January 6. Nehl also referenced the “SHAM investigation” that occurred after a police officer shot and killed unarmed Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, a 14-year Air Force veteran, as seen here:
Maybe it is because I have been a vocal critic of @SpeakerPelosi, the @January6thCmte, and @CapitolPolice leadership about their handling of January 6th, the death of Ashli Babbitt and the subsequent SHAM investigation.
— Congressman Troy Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) February 8, 2022
Earlier in the monologue, Hannity reported on an Israeli technology firm’s powerful spyware tool called Pegasus, which he said “can allegedly copy your messages and your photos, track your location, record your conversations through the microphone, even when you are not using your phone. And get this, it can even film you secretly through your own phone’s camera.”
Citing ABC News, Hannity said the technology is “frequently used abroad to hack journalists and dissidents and human rights activists,” before adding the spyware is at the center of a controversy in Israel involving key witnesses in the corruption trial of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Buckle up,” he cautioned viewers. “It is not a matter of if, but it is a matter of when spying scandals just like this will emerge in this country.”
Hannity then noted that even though the NSO group has been blacklisted by Congress, the FBI under Director Chris Wray appears to have purchased a license to use the spyware in 2019 for $5 million and renewed the license for another $4 million.
“Cybersecurity experts are now sounding the alarm about what they are calling a troubling and irresponsible move from the highest level of the federal government,” he said. “The same FBI leadership that never held their own top brass, to this day, accountable for the biggest corruption, abuse of power scandal ever — when they used that dirty Russian disinformation dossier that Hillary Clinton bought and paid for, to spy on Donald Trump a candidate, the transition team of Donald Trump, and president Donald Trump.”
“Now, the only difference is they will not need to lie to the FISA court to spy,” Hannity added. “This is extremely chilling, especially because Director Wray never held these people accountable, never cleaned up his bureau.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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