Government watchdog group Judicial Watch last week filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the State Department. The group believes prominent conservative journalists, public figures and those with ties to President Donald Trump were being monitored by the State Department in Ukraine under the direction of ousted U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, who was appointed to her post by President Barack Obama.
"Judicial Watch has obtained information indicating Yovanovitch may have violated laws and government regulations by ordering subordinates to target certain U.S. persons using State Department resources," the watchdog group said in a press release. "Yovanovitch reportedly ordered monitoring keyed to the following search terms: Biden, Giuliani, Soros and Yovanovitch."
Specifically, Judicial Watch believes the following people were being monitored:
Jack Posobiec, One America News Network Host
Donald Trump Jr., son of President Donald Trump
Laura Ingraham, Fox News Host
Sean Hannity, Fox News Host
Michael McFaul, President Obama’s Ambassador to Russia
Dan Bongino, Fox News Contributor
Ryan Saavedra, Reporter at the Daily Wire
Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's Personal Attorney
Dr. Sebastian Gorka, Former Strategist for President Trump and host of Salem's "America First" Radio Program
John Solomon, Executive Vice President at The Hill
Lou Dobbs, Fox Business Host
Pamela Geller, Political Commentator
Sara Carter, Investigative Reporter and Fox News Contributor
The FOIA includes any documents relating to the "monitoring of any U.S.-based journalist, reporter, or media commentator by any employee or office of the Department of state between January 1, 2019 and the president."
Although the watchdog group is waiting for the State Department to return paperwork outlining this specific issue, those on the list aren't surprised at the possibility.
"Don is aware of the report and looks forward to Judicial Watch getting to the bottom of what exactly may have happened here," a spokesman for Donald Trump Jr. told Townhall.
For Dr. Sebastian Gorka, this appears to be the last straw. The Obama administration spied on the Trump campaign and now others in the conservative movement may be under illegal surveillance as well.
"Not only did Obama’s CIA and FBI illegally surveil the Trump campaign and our White House, we now find out his Ukrainian ambassador had leading conservative names spied upon too," Gorka told Townhall. "The victims of Obama’s latest conspiracy are considering a group legal action action Obama and his accomplices."
One America News Network's Jack Posobiec served in the intelligence community and knows very well that, if true, this surveillance is a direct violation of people's Constitutional rights.
"I wish I could say I was surprised, but after everything that has come out over the past few years regarding government monitoring for political purposes, I am not. Having served in the intelligence community I am well aware of the restrictions of using national security assets on U.S. persons," Posobiec told Townhall. "These tools must not be used for partisan purposes, regardless of party affiliation."
"If true this is a violation of the First and Fourth Amendments," Posobiec said.
Here's a full copy of the FOIA request: