FBI confiscates Pennsylvania Republican congressman's cell phone

Scott Perry: "I am outraged, if not surprised, that the FBI...would seize a member of Congress' phone."

Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Scott Perry has alleged that the FBI seized his cell phone with a court order. The congressman reported the incident Tuesday to Fox News. He detailed that the agents did not attempt to contact his lawyer and that the action occurred while he was traveling with his family. These actions have come just hours after the FBI raided former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

"I am outraged, though not surprised, that the FBI, under the direction of Merrick Garland's Department of Justice, seize the phone of a member of Congress. in office," Perry said in his statement. "My phone contains information about my legislative and political activities, and personal and private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends. None of this is any of the government's business."

The congressman noted that"as with President Trump, the Department of Justice chose this unnecessary and aggressive action instead of simply contacting my attorneys. These kinds of banana republic tactics should be of concern to all citizens, especially considering the decision before Congress this week to hire 87. 000 new IRS agents to further persecute law-abiding citizens."

Perry has been the subject of interest from the committee in charge of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol assault investigation for allegedly holding numerous communications with the White House during the Trump Administration in the days leading up to the event.