Sen. Graham Questions AG Bondi on Sanctuary Cities and DOJ Political Use

Sanctuary Cities and Law Enforcement Cooperation

• 🏛️ Senator Graham questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the impact of Chicago's sanctuary city policies on illegal immigration and law enforcement.
• 📈 Bondi reported a 1,000% increase in violent attacks against ICE officers since January 20th and highlighted that sanctuary cities make it harder to deal with illegal immigration.
• 🤝 The state of Illinois' Trust Act prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, leading to instances like the release of an illegal alien who was later arrested for murder.
• ⚖️ Bondi also mentioned lawsuits filed in Illinois concerning sanctuary policies, including in-state tuition for illegal aliens and obstructing employers from verifying citizenship.

Allegations of Political Use of the Justice Department

• 🎯 Graham raised concerns about the Justice Department being used politically, citing the timing of indictments against Donald Trump shortly after he announced his candidacy.
• 🔍 He questioned the appointment of Jack Smith as special counsel to investigate classified information and alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 election.
• ⚖️ Specific indictments against Trump in Manhattan and Florida were mentioned, with Graham suggesting a legal theory used in the Manhattan case was unprecedented.
• 📞 Graham also revealed that Jack Smith's team requested his phone records, along with those of 7 other senators, between January 4th and 7th.

James Comey and the FBI Investigation

• 🔎 Graham questioned Attorney General Bondi about former FBI Director James Comey and the FBI's investigation into Trump's alleged ties to Russia.
• 📰 He referenced a meeting in August 2016 where intelligence suggested the Clinton campaign might be fabricating a narrative about Trump being a Russian asset.
• 📄 A memo sent to the FBI director from the intelligence community detailing intelligence suggesting Clinton's campaign was behind the Trump-Russia collusion narrative was discussed.
• ❓ Graham expressed frustration that the FBI director claimed not to recall this memo and questioned why the FISA court was not informed of exculpatory information.
• 📄 The use of the Steele dossier, paid for by the Clinton campaign, to obtain warrants against Carter Page was highlighted, along with the fact that the source later stated the information was unreliable hearsay.
• 🚫 Bondi stated she could not comment on specific details of ongoing investigations or matters related to the FISA court.