FBI Investigation & Political Implications - The FBI requested interviews with members of Congress, raising questions about potential intimidation or improper use of resources, especially concerning First Amendment rights [1] - Experts suggest the FBI typically requires a predicate offense and high-level approval to investigate members of Congress, which appears lacking in this situation [1][2] - The investigation is seen as a potential waste of FBI resources, diverting attention from critical areas like espionage, counterintelligence, terrorism, and financial fraud [4][5] Administration's Actions & Political Risks - The administration's focus on investigating political opponents is viewed as a distraction from pressing issues like affordability and the economy, potentially harming the party's prospects in upcoming elections [8][9] - The investigation of veterans and public figures like Mark Kelly could elevate their message and create political risks for the administration [2] - The administration's actions are perceived as a "retribution campaign," targeting individuals based on their political views and dealings with banks and mortgage companies [12] Legal & Ethical Concerns - A lawsuit alleges potential violations of the Federal Privacy Act and First Amendment rights, accusing officials of using information for political purposes [11] - Concerns are raised about a "crisis of leadership" and unqualified individuals in positions of power due to loyalty to the administration, potentially leading to unethical or illegal actions [14][15]

A Florida federal judge has empaneled a grand jury for January that a close Donald Trump ally recently suggested is related to a criminal investigation into allegations of a long-running Democratic conspiracy against the president https://t.co/bEMmEKY6MI ...

A senior Justice Department official tells me uh just moments ago that the former national security adviser to Donald Trump during his first term, John Bolton, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the state of Maryland. Court documents made public last month revealed that Bolton was under criminal investigation for alleged mishandling of classified documents. And significantly, this marks now the third individual that the president has described as a political adversary who has now been indicted by ...

Investigation Status - Utah Public Safety is releasing additional photos of the person of interest in connection with the shooting [1] - The phrase "person of interest" is vague and doesn't necessarily mean the individual is a suspect or accomplice [5][6] - The FBI has a weapon, footprint, palm print, and images related to the case [11] - The FBI is analyzing physical evidence at its lab in Quantico, Virginia [12] Law Enforcement Collaboration - State, local, and federal partners are working together, which is common in such situations [4] - Joint terrorism task forces, integrated groups of officers and agents, are helping each other [4] - Information is coming from multiple law enforcement sources [4] Investigation Procedures - The FBI will analyze physical evidence against its databases to identify the individual [13] - Search warrants will be issued for buildings the suspect may have used [13] - Electronic devices will be used to identify cell phones in the area at the time of the incident [14] - Interviews will be conducted with people on site, and neighbors will be asked about suspicious activity [14] - Tactical teams will engage in a wide-ranging manhunt [14] FBI Practices - The FBI is surging resources to get results [15] - The FBI did not regularly tweet about investigations before Patel [10]

Investigation & Justice Department Concerns - The Trump administration is perceived as using the Justice Department to appease supporters who believe crimes were committed by the Biden and Obama administrations [2] - The leaking of a criminal investigation to the press is considered unusual and potentially intended to embarrass individuals and inflict legal costs [3][4][5] - Concerns exist that the Justice Department is becoming a political tool of the presidency, undermining the independence of career prosecutors [12][13] Legality & Timing - The investigation's timing is questioned, particularly in relation to deflecting attention from other issues [8] - Even if a crime had occurred, the statute of limitations (5 years) has likely passed, making an investigation unwarranted [10] - It is considered unprecedented for an attorney general to order prosecutors to open a case without sufficient evidence [11] Russian Interference & Prior Investigations - The intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election is not considered startling [9] - Previous investigations, including one by Special Counsel John Durham, found no evidence to charge key individuals [5][6] - John Durham's report did not even address the intelligence community's assessment on Russian interference [7]