A pair of senators are working together from across the aisle to get to the bottom of President Donald Trump's explosive allegation that President Obama wiretapped the phones at Trump Tower during the 2016 election season.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., formally requested information from the Department of Justice and FBI Wednesday on any action taken to listen in on calls from Trump's New York home and offices.
"Congress must get to the bottom of President Trump's recent allegation that President Obama wiretapped President Trump's phones during the 2016 election," wrote Graham and Whitehouse in a letter to FBI director James Comey and Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente.
"As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, we would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously," the letter adds.
"We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower."
What we know about Trump's unsubstantiated wiretapping allegations
Trump has not spoken to FBI director about wiretapping claims, Spicer says
On Saturday, Trump fueled the wiretapping accusations with four tweets claiming that former President Barack Obama issued the alleged directive himself, an accusation Obama's team denies.
Read More:Huge whale measuring at least 9 metres long washes up on Devon beach "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" wrote Trump.
The president further questioned the legality of the action despite providing no evidence that it occurred. The White House has declined to provide evidence and declined to comment further pending a congressional investigation.
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" wrote Trump.
Graham and Whitehouse indicated that they would be "glad to review any such applications and orders once they are disclosed, and proceed as appropriate with the oversight the President has requested."
Over the weekend, ABC News reported that Comey asked the Justice Department to refute the allegation.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., formally requested information from the Department of Justice and FBI Wednesday on any action taken to listen in on calls from Trump's New York home and offices.
"Congress must get to the bottom of President Trump's recent allegation that President Obama wiretapped President Trump's phones during the 2016 election," wrote Graham and Whitehouse in a letter to FBI director James Comey and Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente.
"As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, we would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously," the letter adds.
"We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower."
What we know about Trump's unsubstantiated wiretapping allegations
Trump has not spoken to FBI director about wiretapping claims, Spicer says
On Saturday, Trump fueled the wiretapping accusations with four tweets claiming that former President Barack Obama issued the alleged directive himself, an accusation Obama's team denies.
Read More:Huge whale measuring at least 9 metres long washes up on Devon beach "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" wrote Trump.
The president further questioned the legality of the action despite providing no evidence that it occurred. The White House has declined to provide evidence and declined to comment further pending a congressional investigation.
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" wrote Trump.
Graham and Whitehouse indicated that they would be "glad to review any such applications and orders once they are disclosed, and proceed as appropriate with the oversight the President has requested."
Over the weekend, ABC News reported that Comey asked the Justice Department to refute the allegation.
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