Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Latest Breaking News

Showing Original Post only (View all)

mahatmakanejeeves

(67,572 posts)
Mon Nov 10, 2025, 06:25 PM Nov 10

Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue for Jack Smith Searches (1) [View all]

Source: Bloomberg Law

US Law Week
Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue for Jack Smith Searches (1)

Nov. 10, 2025, 3:11 PM EST; Updated: Nov. 10, 2025, 3:47 PM EST
Ben Penn
Senior Reporter


Jack Smith, US special counsel, speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 1, 2023.
Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg

Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government.

The spending measure, which cleared a Senate procedural hurdle Sunday night, would create a private right of action allowing senators who've been searched--without their knowledge--for their communications data to bring civil lawsuits against the US government and potentially individual federal employees.

Each time criminal investigators attempted to access a senator's data without informing them, the court would be able to award at least $500,000, provided that the lawmaker ...

{paywall}

Read more: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/shutdown-deal-would-let-senators-sue-over-jack-smith-searches



Reposted by Mike Masnick
https://bsky.app/profile/mmasnick.bsky.social

Senators look at Trump's shameless corruption and say "give us some of that"

Insubordinate Piggy Hat (@kenwhite.bsky.social) 2025-11-10T22:28:12.651Z


******
Point Blank Sandwich Hat
‪@kenwhite.bsky.social‬

Senators look at Trump's shameless corruption and say "give us some of that"

‪Ben Penn‬
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬
· 3h
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/shutdown-deal-would-let-senators-sue-over-jack-smith-searches

Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue Over Jack Smith Searches
Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
******

Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2025-11-10T20:20:14.410Z


******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

Follow
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/shutdown-deal-would-let-senators-sue-over-jack-smith-searches

Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue Over Jack Smith Searches
Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM
******
31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Fucking of course. There are probably land mines all over this. Drum Nov 10 #1
6 weeks of dodging Town Halls. Here's what they were hatching instead... mpcamb Nov 11 #23
Planning their smash and grab extortion plan. Irish_Dem Nov 11 #26
Yep, Schumer has to go, either he knew about it or should have. Either way he has to go. dem4decades Nov 11 #29
The Dems that voted to allow this should have to pay the damages for this corruption. walkingman Nov 10 #2
Seriously? What makes you think he'll lose this suit? ancianita Nov 11 #12
I guess because I do not trust our justice system...especially at the higher levels. walkingman Nov 11 #13
You guess? Forget the system. The DOJ just lost thousands of lawyers. ancianita Nov 11 #15
If they can sue federal employees, why not go after the big guy? FakeNoose Nov 10 #3
Skullduggery is their go-to. BurnDoubt Nov 10 #4
Now begs the question: Polybius Nov 10 #5
Important questions. yellow dahlia Nov 10 #6
Senators are cordial to each other, what a gift. dem4decades Nov 11 #27
We know the answer to that question. Irish_Dem Nov 11 #28
This bill provision is unconstitutional, as it is retroactive to 2022, capturing Jack Smith's 2023 subpoenas. SunSeeker Nov 10 #7
He'll handle this. It's doubtful Smith's going to be held liable by the DC District Court. ancianita Nov 11 #11
But DOJ will happily pay these scumbag GOP insurrectionist senators $500k each. SunSeeker Nov 11 #18
Not necessarily. Each senator will have to pay his own legal fees for making their case to the DC Circuit. ancianita Nov 11 #22
The senators don't even need to file a lawsuit. They can just submit a government claim. SunSeeker Nov 11 #24
I stand corrected. I thought I read that they each individually qualified to sue for damages. Sorry. ancianita Nov 11 #25
But Lawrence said it was a win SamuelTheThird Nov 10 #8
How about you link it. I watch Lawrence all the time and never once heard that. ancianita Nov 11 #16
He didn't call it a win. He called it a compromise. nt SunSeeker Nov 11 #19
It just keeps getting better. iemanja Nov 11 #9
MaddowBlog-Republicans use spending bill to empower themselves to sue over phone records searches LetMyPeopleVote Nov 11 #10
Incredible Senate-ing here as senators make this applicable just to them, not House members LetMyPeopleVote Nov 11 #20
Thank you DINO's. republianmushroom Nov 11 #14
Think they didn't read that bill? Who were the DINO's, huh? Name them. ancianita Nov 11 #17
Very strange to think how this works karynnj Nov 11 #21
I believe it was FBI investigators which makes it doubly puzzling FakeNoose Nov 11 #30
Chip Roy wants this provision removed LetMyPeopleVote Nov 12 #31
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Shutdown Deal Would Let S...