Former CIA Director John Brennan is seeking a court order to require officials to preserve records from investigations that he claims are targeting him for “phantom criminal conduct.” Brennan’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, names President Donald Trump and other top law enforcement officials from his administration as defendants.
Investigations and Motivations
Brennan’s lawyers argue that the records would be essential for him to mount a defense on vindictive prosecution grounds in the event of a future indictment brought by the administration. The lawsuit claims that President Trump has made over 100 verbal or written statements since 2017 lambasting Brennan, and that these statements demonstrate a desire to vindictively prosecute him.
The lawsuit also mentions separate investigations based in Florida, including one examining whether Brennan made a false statement to Congress related to an assessment by intelligence agencies documenting Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. No charges have been brought, and the Department of Justice has denied claims of weaponization.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.