On Tuesday, the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, led by the committee chair Rand Paul (R-KY), released the key findings of an investigation that included a review of Biden-era FBI files; the files themselves are also being released, and they paint a damning picture of the weaponization of federal watch lists by the FBI under the Biden administration. This effort to harass and interfere with the citizenry was ironically called the Quiet Skies program.
A report from the committee reads in part:
Today, Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) released new documents detailing Biden-era Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s 23-month investigation into Christine Crowder, a Texas Catholic school teacher who was in Washington, D.C. to exercise her First Amendment rights and attend President Trump’s rally on the Ellipse on January 6, 2021. The documents reveal the FBI labeled Crowder, the wife of a Federal Air Marshal, a domestic terrorist solely based on an unverified tip submitted by a former friend despite early investigative results showing negative facial recognition and geolocation search results and no previous criminal or extremist activity.
Even after initially failing to confirm her identity, the Biden-era FBI subjected Mrs. Crowder to physical surveillance, federal watchlisting, continuous airport surveillance while traveling, and referred her case for prosecution. That referral was made before the FBI could positively identify her and ultimately rested on what proved to be a case of mistaken identity.
Did you get that? A Catholic school teacher from Texas was designated as a domestic terrorist based on an unverified tip from someone who claimed to be a former friend. With friends like this, who needs enemies?
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The investigation's list of key findings should spark anger and righteous outrage. Mrs. Crowder wasn't just placed on a watch list, mind you; that would have been bad enough. No, her case was also accepted for prosecution, based on a tip from a random citizen, with only a pretense of investigation. While this was going on, she was surveilled by the Biden FBI and the US Air Marshal's Service, not just while traveling but in her home.
These documents were obtained as part of Chairman Paul’s ongoing investigation into the weaponization of federal watchlists and aviation security programs. Last year, the Committee held a hearing on the now-terminated Quiet Skies Program, during which Mrs. Crowder’s husband, Mark Crowder, a Federal Air Marshal whistleblower, testified that his own colleagues were ordered to surveil his wife and family minute-by-minute as they traveled.
Key Findings of the FBI Records Released by Chairman Paul:
- The FBI opened the investigation into Crowder based on a tip from a former friend. Initial findings indicated negative geolocation, negative facial recognition, and no criminal history or extremist activity.
- Though the FBI acknowledged a need to interview Crowder, they claimed she illegally entered the U.S. Capitol and recommended her for watchlisting and Expanded Selectee status.
- The FBI physically surveilled Crowder’s house at least four times for the purpose of identifying her and her property.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office accepted the case for prosecution solely based on the tip without fully verifying her identity and then recommended the FBI conduct a social media analysis.
- Nearly two years into the investigation and over a month after a photo from a confidential human source confirmed the case of mistaken identity, the FBI investigation was closed.
We might note that Tulsi Gabbard, now serving as the Trump administration's Director of National Intelligence, was also placed on a terror watch list under the Quiet Skies program. Tulsi Gabbard was then serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve.
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Senator Paul and FBI Director Kash Patel also had some pointed comments:
"A free society cannot tolerate a system in which programs and authorities intended to keep the public safe are instead weaponized against them due to mere suspicion,” said Chairman Paul. “The records released today show how an unverified tip that the FBI failed to substantiate led to nearly two years of surveillance of an innocent American. I am grateful for FBI Director Kash Patel’s cooperation in producing these records, and I appreciate Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for ending the Quiet Skies program. The conduct revealed by these documents underscores the need to limit the power of faceless bureaucrats who have too often infringed on the rights of the people.”
“This case is an example of misplaced priorities and everything that went wrong with federal law enforcement in the aftermath of January 6,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “When a Catholic kindergarten teacher from Texas can be surveilled for more than two years simply for being in Washington, D.C., without entering the Capitol, without committing a crime, we have crossed from legitimate investigation into political overreach. That is not equal justice under the law. Senator Paul is right to demand accountability, transparency, and an end to investigations that target Americans for their beliefs or proximity rather than evidence.”
Note that this wasn't some oversight or some mistake by one isolated agent new to the business. Note that Christine Crowder, who once again is a Catholic kindergarten teacher from Texas, isn't the only person affected by this kind of government overreach. Nor is Tulsi Gabbard the only other example. This was a systemic effort to browbeat, to intimidate, to silence the political opposition. There's no other way to look at it.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has since canceled the Quiet Skies program — given it its quietus, if you like. But any new Democratic administration or Democrat-controlled Congress could just as easily bring it back, or something similar, or even worse.
Need another reason to make sure you get out and vote in this year's midterm elections? Here you are.
Editor’s Note: Help us continue to report the truth about corrupt politicians like... heck, name any Democrat.
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