Phone companies failed to warn senators about surveillance, Wyden says

Government surveillance of lawmakers, though legal, raises concerns that members of Congress cannot effectively legislate when they are being spied on.

Alfred Ng 05/21/2025, 12:07pm ET

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) revealed in a new letter to Senate colleagues Wednesday that AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile failed to create systems for notifying senators about government surveillance on Senate-issued devices — despite a requirement to do so.

Phone service providers are contractually obligated to inform senators (what about Congress Members), when a law enforcement agency requests their records, thanks to protections enacted in 2020.But in an investigation, Wyden’s staff found that none of the three major carriers had created a system to send those notifications.

“My staff discovered that, alarmingly, these crucial notifications were not happening, likely in violation of the carriers’ contracts with the [Senate Sergeant at Arms], leaving the Senate vulnerable to surveillance,” Wyden said in the letter, obtained first by POLITICO, dated May 21.

Wyden said that the companies all started providing notification after his office’s investigation. But one carrier told Wyden’s office it had previously turned over Senate data to law enforcement without notifying lawmakers, according to the letter. When reached for comment, spokespeople for AT&T and Verizon defended their companies against accusations of noncompliance.

“We are complying with our obligations to the Senate Sergeant at Arms,” said AT&T spokesperson Alex Byers in a statement. “We have received no legal demands regarding Senate offices under the current contract,which began last June.” Said Verizon spokesperson Richard Young in a statement, “We respect the Senator’s view that providers should give notice to Senators if we receive legal process regarding their use of their personal devices,but disagree with his policy position.”T-Mobile did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Despite the positive outcome of the staff inquiry, Wyden warned senators that holes in the system still exist, specifically when it comes to personal devices.Major carriers are required to disclose government records requests only for Senate-issued devices, but lawmakers commonly use devices outside of that scope.

“[S]ignificant gaps remain, especially for the campaign and personal phones used by most senators,” Wyden wrote.

AT&T and Verizon told Wyden thatthey will now provide notice of surveillance only for phone lines issued by the Senate, while T-Mobile agreed to also provide notice for senators’ personal and campaign devices.

In the meantime, Wyden recommended for senators and their staff to consider switching to mobile providers that offer surveillance notifications for both their personal and campaign devices. He also flagged cybersecurity concerns within the Senate,pointing out that senators’ personal and campaign devices don’t have the same protections enjoyed by agencies like the Departments of State and Defense.

This all comes as Wyden is seeking to secure new regulations in the legislative branch appropriations bill that would allocate government resources to protect senators’ personal devices. He proposed legislation to this effect in 2019 with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in the wake of Russian hacking threats from the 2016 election, but the bill never advanced out of committee.

While it’s legal for the government to conduct surveillance of lawmakers in certain situations, it raises concerns that members of Congress cannot effectively legislate when they know are being spied on.

A Justice Department watchdog report published last December revealed that the first Trump administration had requested communication records of 43 congressional staffers. That confirmed a 2021 report in the New York Times that Trump officials had subpoenaed digital records from members of Congress and their families. The DOJ report found that the surveillance threatened “Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch.” (They fail to mention that Nunes, Patel and many others were tapped by Rosenstein and the FBI, this was not approved by TrumpShouldn't the citizens be treated the same way?)

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/05/21/congress/exclusive-phone-companies-failed-to-warn-senators-about-surveillance-wyden-says-00361400

Tucker Carlson Interviews Podcaster Shawn Ryan

May 21, 2025 | Sundance |

Perhaps it is because I understand the journey Shawn Ryan is traveling, but this is an interesting conversation. Tucker Carlson sits down with Shawn Ryan who is about 5 years into his journey looking at the political landscape and questioning all of his previous assumptions.

I have long described the DC political machine as aPotemkin village, essentially a stage where the politicians are actors playing roles. In the back of the stage the real decisions are made, and the performance is intended to give the illusion of democracy. The performance is real, but there’s a script and the results are pre-scripted. When Ryan says, “it’s all fake” he appears to be hitting on this theme, albeit in a newer stage of realization.

The voting audience wants to see certain things, the actors (politicians) want to deliver those things, but the producers and the directors have other ideas.

The influence and motive about money really are at the core of every performance.It’s a long interview but does have some value as many of the thoughts expressed by Ryan will likely affirm your own personal journey. WATCH: https://youtu.be/7KufJvBEYZQ

Once more into the breach dear friends. Today I’m traveling quickly back to DC and will check in later tonight.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/05/21/tucker-carlson-interviews-podcaster-shawn-ryan/

(Anon comment: I listened to this yesterday and it was an very interesting interview, and Shawn is right, question everything and everyone.)

Trump to huddle with Johnson and hard-liners to seal deal on megabill

The president sees Andy Harris and Chip Roy as key holdouts on the “big, beautiful bill” who need to be flipped.

By Meredith Lee Hill and Jake Traylor 05/21/2025, 12:56pm ET

Speaker Mike Johnson and House Freedom Caucus members will head to the White House for a 3 p.m. meeting today, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the matter.

The high-stakes gathering will come after talks with hard-liners blew up overnight over the fate of the “one big, beautiful bill” House Republican leaders still say they want to pass before the end of the day Wednesday.

According to a White House official granted anonymity share private conversations, President Donald Trump is narrowing in on Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris and a vocal member, Chip Roy, as two key hold-outs to sway.

The House Rules Committee has been meeting for almost 12 hours to pave the way for floor consideration of the party-line package of tax cuts and extensions, border security investments, energy policy and more. But final bill text remains at large amid fights over cuts to Medicaid and repeals of clean energy tax credits, among other outstanding issues.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/05/21/congress/speaker-hard-liners-to-white-house-00362637

So Trump promised them this yesterday, and Johnson wouldn’t do it:

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who leads the House Freedom Caucus, said the holdouts had “accepted the White House’s offer last night,” referring to a handshake dealto speed up Medicaid work requirements and the phase-out of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits,but then said their concerns had been “inadequately” addressed by House GOP leadership. He cast doubt on passage of the bill Wednesday.

(Johnson is Liar, I know Trump think’s he is great, but he’s as deceptive as McCarthy. There’s no way to get corruption out of the Congress in both houses. If you want to keep your soul, NEVER get elected for office in DC, or elsewhere. I think it might be helpful if Trump met with Harris & Roy, to hear them out.)

>>23064475

Only CNN would be so stupid

>>23064628

He personally started all this, he's is a communist, marxist black.

>>23064560

That's an interesting view, the black woman looks kind of pissed, Elon looks very intrigued where this is going, and the lady behind them is praying for peace.

>>23064560

The black leader says President Trump has to listen to be convinced there is no genocide, as if President Trump doesn't listen. He said it three times, take someone else's word for it. He just set himself up for the videos. Pretty insulting thing to say the PDJT, considering that we have satellites around the world.

>>23064712

Right after he said that Trump has to listen, Trump plays the videos, I honestly don't know how this man thinks he can deceive PDJT

>>23064715

you are right, but the arrogance of the Black leader indicating that he is so much smarter then the President of the US, they've already disrespected him before and he does it in the Oval Office, three times saying Trump has to listen.

>>23064715

PS there is no way CNN is not over there filming all of it, they used to be the best in the world for on the ground video, so CNN knows.

>>23064712

After a couple of minutes at the start of the video, the African leaders starts sweating, he tried to get everyone's attention from the video, and distracting them with him smiling and looking around but they were all glued to the TV.

>>23064742

Trump states when the video switched, "these are burial sites, over 1,000s of them of white farmers" Those cars are lined up to paid honor to their relatives.

He is not making it easy for the leader to deny any of this.(and if that leader says that's an old video, Trump will pull out the satellite info.

>>23064757

The African leader says, "do you know where that is Mr. President, because this I've never seen".

If you look at his history, he caused chaos, killed his own miners by the white man, could care less who died so he could make millions. And including the war on white farmers, he's not innocent in any way. White or Black, he'll kill them for money.

>>23064765

Ramoposa is saying those men telling people to kill the white are political parties, and we allow free speech, but this is not government policy, that government he runs, so why isn't he stopping these other parties killing white farmers.He is so fucking unconvincing. It's not free speech when they are killing white farmers. But that's supposedly justice in SAfrica.

>>23064795

Keep an eye on Vance, Hegseth and Lutnick, they were waiting for the big reveal, and no one is buying Ramp's lies, Hegseth looks almost angry and doesn't look up. Lutnick just keeps looking down. I don't know if they expected this to happen. 33:11 into the video

And the guy keeps on saying, we do what Nelsom Mandela told us to, we need to sit down and talk about it, like Trump wasn't doing that, and talking about it.And as if Trump needs to learn how to talk like Mandela a Marxist Communist also. Mandela's wife made and cheered the garbage barrel fires thrown on whites to burn them alive. These are never going to be peaceful people.

He's so disrespectful to Trump, I'm surprised it didn't get worse.

Here he giving his "sage advice" to PDJT.

>>23064835

This is where Trump gets fed up. Ramp issaying we should talk about the problemsand make trade deals.Trump said "well there are problems" and Ramp cuts him offand changes the subject when Trump hands him all the articles of Whites being killed.

The last picture Trump shakes his head and hands all the articles to him, he basically is given up for any honest discussion with the guy.

While Ramp is saying "talk about problems,but including TRADE MATTERS, even Z as rude as he was, was not as dismissive and really going for the money this guy is.

>>23064881

Ramp is making me mad, Trump is fed up,Vance held a small smile on his face, until the moment Trump handed him the papers, and Ramp started lecturing Trump on discussions, then he showed some anger, Hegseth had that face all the way through.

The very fact that all this guy wanted to talk about Trade Matters, and during the video was smiling and looking away trying to get attention, he could give a fuck about dead White Farmers, or dead black Africans.It's the money man

The guy tries to butter up Trump after he insulted and ignored him on the White Farmers, "oh we are using your technology" trying to give him some thanks, which was the absolute wrong time for that bullshit. Trump is not deceived.

Now I can understand somewhat the US replacing leaders of countries, but I would never condone it; this guy, definitely has enemies around the world, so he better watch his back.

>>23064911

Here's he saying to Trump, we'd like to get America that can help us with our criminality, as if they cannot or won't stop the criminality in Africa. Is he asking for troops in Africa.

God this guy is really not smart.He doesn't care about the criminality and if we want it stopped US has to get involved. Does he even hear what he's saying. He may think that a good thing to say to Trump, but they are basically saying, S Africa will not put any energy into. You can see the disgusting look on Trump's face, he's fed up with solving the world's problems.

Trump looking into the distance is a sign, he checked out listening to BS. Ramp cannot read the President or the Room, he's insulting the Cabinet also.

>>23064933

Here's the sequence when Trump finally gives up because this guy is never going to listen, and has no intention of helping. Lecturing Trump on dialogue was his worst fucking mistake, the guy briefly addressed the violence,with no real regrets or apologies, but immediately lets talk about Trade Deals, and how America can solve our criminality problems. Very, very disgusting and when you see Trump disgusted, its beyond the pale.

>>23064956

Oh and he finishes his bullshit, and says,"we want to discuss this, outside of the media of course, so we can really have good outcomes". He refused to address the violence and killing of whites, but said to Trump "we are really good partners" (I wouldn't have held back at that point and say, Fuck You)

I hope to God someone is at the door where Trump is heard raising his voice very loudly at this Marxist.

Trump is trying to be not show what he really feels here.

>>23064937

Honestly, I don't think America should give any weapons to S. Africa, this guy would turn around and use them on us. The way he was trying to demean and correct Trump, was the arrogance of Marxists, maybe it goes well in SA, but it doesn't go well here in the Oval Office and with the president.

>>23064993

He asked for money10x separate times, or the Trade Deals they are going to make, mixing it in with watching murders of White People. Oh and NOT one apology by the guy for what the Africans did, he knew it was real, but he didn't apologize for the people of SA.Who does something like that?

He tried to convince Trump those videos did not happen, that's how he's so convinced his propaganda is.Is this guy really doubting the CiC doesn't know what's going on in SA?

That's his take, and trying to humiliate or disrespect Trump is going to have a bad outcome for him.

As much as Zelensky was rude and arrogant, this guy oozed with hatred but faked we are great friends, "arrogance" is worse than anger and stupidity.

>>23064984

Really true, "never seen before maneuver to get the truth out.

Every world leader should be prepared for this if they come in and lie about the countries wrong doings.

>>23064992

There's going to be a lot of memes on this event

>>23065007

send them pagers? I don't know, I think this guy has some serious karma payback coming his way.Wait until those regions prove Ramposa was involved in the plans to kill white farmers.

>>23065034

The guy smiled through the video most of the time, while in the dark, then as it played more he really started sweating. He was trying to make fun of it.

>>23065066

God the Rampo keeps lying to Trump and he's challenging him, I don't know where he gets off saying the US expropriates land for government use.Trump responds and says you are stealing their land and killing the farmers, this is not your government taking the land for use for government needs, your people are stealing the land and killing the people. I'm surprised how calm Trump is.

Rampo told numerous lies in that meeting, so the left leaning networks have talking points, that's why he keeps doing this shit, even thought challenged multiple times.

>>23065107

CIA, every bad thing that ever went on in the 1940's and after, the beast is still out there.

>>23065109

Does the guy today, look like any of the pictures from online? Why doesn't the guy have wrinkles like all the prior pictures have?We already know this guy is a very violent and evil man, he's not fooling anyone, the destruction he has caused in Africa is cataclysmic. I don't know how Trump can be around evil like this, God must be protect him at the highest levels. And he has a ring of angels around him.

his face and eyes says a lot about this creature. Yin SanPaku, but it almost looks like he has it over and under his eyes, which is was than anything.

>>23065109