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Judicial Watch: Federal Court Orders Snap Hearing on Awan Brothers, Congressional Democrat IT Scandal After DOJ Files Document Under Seal
Judicial Watch ^ | January 14, 2020 | Staff

Posted on 01/14/2020 9:25:43 AM PST by jazusamo

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that a federal court yesterday ordered a snap hearing after the Justice Department submitted information under seal on Friday following the court’s demand for an explanation of why no records have been produced in the ongoing legal battle for documents about the Congressional Democrat IT (information technology) scandal involving the Awan brothers. The hearing is set for tomorrow, January 15, at 10 am.

In November 2018, Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the FBI over two FOIA requests for records related to the Awan brothers ( Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-02563)).

In August 2019, the Justice Department told the court that it would begin producing records by November 5, 2019. After producing no records, on November 13, 2019, the agency told Judicial Watch that it was having “technical difficulties,” and in a recent email claimed that “difficulties with the production remain.”

In a joint status report filed on December 5, 2019, Judicial Watch reported to the court that the DOJ claimed in a phone call that it was now unable to produce any records to either of the FOIA requests “because the agency was waiting for some unspecified action by Judge [Tanya S.] Chutkan in some other matter so as to avoid having to produce records in this case.” In that same report the DOJ told the court that Judge Chutkan is “presiding over a related sealed criminal matter” that prohibits the government from releasing the requested FOIA information.

In a hearing last month, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta expressed frustration and ordered the Justice Department to explain its failure to produce records by January 10 and to provide Judicial Watch some details about the delay. Instead, the Justice Department made its filing under seal and has yet to provide Judicial Watch with any details about its failure to produce records as promised to the court.

“The cover-up of the Awan Brothers Democratic IT scandal shows the FBI and DOJ’s penchant for dishonesty isn’t just limited to FISA abuse,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The DOJ’s handling of the Awan Brothers case has long been an issue of concern and now we are expected believe some secret investigation prevents the public from knowing the full truth about this scandal. We are skeptical.”

Imran Awan and his family were banned from the House computer network in February 2017 after the House’s top law enforcement officer wrote that Imran was “an ongoing and serious risk to the House of Representatives, possibly threatening the integrity of our information systems,” and that a server containing evidence had gone “missing.” The inspector general said server logs showed “unauthorized access” and procurement records were falsified.

Imran Awan was Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s (D-FL) top information technology aide. Most lawmakers fired Awan in February, but Wasserman Schultz kept him on until he was arrested in July 2017 , trying to board a flight for Pakistan.

In July 2018, Imran Awan was given a plea deal, and pled guilty to federal bank fraud but prosecutors found no evidence that Awan “violated federal law with respect to the House computer systems.”

The Awan brothers reportedly “were not given background checks before being given access to highly sensitive government information and no explanations have been given as to why.” Additionally, “If they would have run this background check it would have found out not only multiple criminal convictions, but $1 million bankruptcy, a dozen lawsuits … it would have found a whole host of major red flags and the Democrats didn’t do any of those checks.”

The status hearing is before Judge Amit P. Mehta:

Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Time: 10:00 a.m. ET

Location: Courtroom 10

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

333 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20001

###


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: awan; awanbrothers; democratitscandal; doj; fbi; itgate; itscandal; judgeamitmehta; judicialwatch; jw; tomfitton; ushouse; wassermanschultz
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1 posted on 01/14/2020 9:25:43 AM PST by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo

Readers not advised to hold their breaths on this topic.
Lack of oxygen may be hazardous to one’s health.


2 posted on 01/14/2020 9:27:43 AM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell

Yep, kicking it up to a snails pace would be a huge improvement.


3 posted on 01/14/2020 9:29:15 AM PST by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

Love JW... hate the f-ing government.


4 posted on 01/14/2020 9:30:16 AM PST by Phinneous (By the way, there are Seven Laws for you too! Noahide.org)
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To: jazusamo

Perp Walk Watch: The Scandal that never had a chance to thrive due to media cover-ups..


5 posted on 01/14/2020 9:31:21 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi - Monthly Donors Rock!!!)
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To: lee martell

Surprisingly, Imran Awan has not sued the government to get his old job back. /s


6 posted on 01/14/2020 9:31:23 AM PST by ptsal
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To: jazusamo

Please e-mail me when JUSTICE is served!!


7 posted on 01/14/2020 9:46:21 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: lee martell

Yep, court ‘activity’ is not to be confused with any tangible judicial outcomes of any kind. In other words, just another smokescreen to avoid administering real justice.


8 posted on 01/14/2020 9:47:09 AM PST by Starboard
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To: Ann Archy

Please e-mail me when JUSTICE is served!!

**************

DC is a justice free zone.


9 posted on 01/14/2020 9:48:08 AM PST by Starboard
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To: Liz; bitt

Ping


10 posted on 01/14/2020 9:49:58 AM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: Starboard
It's the JUST US Department!!

Democrats are LAW-LESS because Republicans are BALL-LESS!

11 posted on 01/14/2020 9:49:59 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: lee martell

I fear that this is more evidence that President Trump does not exercise authority over his own Administration. I understand that this entire impeachment charade has been a hindrance. But his retention of Wray as FBI Director remains a huge puzzle. The DOJ’s recent weaseling on the release of the documents mentioned in this Judicial Watch story is another sign that Barr is highly suspect as to his ultimate reliability and seriousness about getting to the bottom of the attempted coup d’etat.


12 posted on 01/14/2020 9:52:49 AM PST by rockwell torrey
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To: jazusamo
(from the original posting:"..the DOJ claimed in a phone call
that it was now unable to produce any records to either of the FOIA requests(emphasis mine)
“because the agency was waiting for some unspecified action by Judge [Tanya S.] Chutkan
in some other matter so as to avoid having to produce records in this case.”

Then the DOJ should name the other case, so that Judicial Watch can act
and get that case out of Limbo.
I believe that a treasonous criminal case should supersede any civil case in the courts.
Justice delayed is justice denied.

13 posted on 01/14/2020 10:00:47 AM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: rockwell torrey

I don’t know what the upside is of keeping Wray on. He should have been fired over two years ago. We all saw what he was.
The president must see some advantage, or perhaps a group of old RINO cannot handle such frequency of change in any administration. Barr seems content to allow most of the guilty to remain free and uncharged. That’s troubling, to say the least.


14 posted on 01/14/2020 10:07:25 AM PST by lee martell
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MAGA!

Support Free Republic Folks, Donate Today!

Please bump the Freepathon or click above to donate or become a new monthly donor!

15 posted on 01/14/2020 10:11:25 AM PST by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo
The status hearing is before Judge Amit P. Mehta:
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
Location: Courtroom 10
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

===================================================================


16 posted on 01/14/2020 10:13:43 AM PST by Karl Spooner
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To: lee martell
I don’t know what the upside is of keeping Wray on. He should have been fired over two years ago. We all saw what he was. The president must see some advantage, or perhaps a group of old RINO cannot handle such frequency of change in any administration. Barr seems content to allow most of the guilty to remain free and uncharged. That’s troubling, to say the least.

Partner, Christopher Wray should not be the FBI chief and the major media will pile on President Trump if he fires Christopher Wray but if Wray was the one that approved the signing of a FISA abuse then Christopher Wray who is the current FBI chief must go. He has signed off his death warrant as far "We the People" are concerned.

Bill Barr who is the Attorney General is in a real pickle since he knows the Swamp environment in D.C.

We knew there was a Swamp but we did not know it was this bad and it is really bad such that the stench of this swamp smells like a Cesspool.

The DemonRat party does not want their folks to go on trial period but "We the People" demand justice if there was an abuse of the FISA court.

17 posted on 01/14/2020 10:18:46 AM PST by TheConservativeTejano (God Bless Texas...)
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To: jazusamo

meanwhile Debbie Wasserman Schultz is free to roam the halls of congress belittling our president?
This rag of a woman is dirty in regards this whole fiasco of giving the shop to pakistani spies.


18 posted on 01/14/2020 10:23:25 AM PST by Joe Boucher ( Molon Labe' baby, Molon Labe)
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To: rockwell torrey
Judicial Watch story is another sign that Barr is highly suspect as to his ultimate reliability and seriousness about getting to the bottom of the attempted coup d’etat.

What, his certifying Jeffry's suicide wan't enough to convince you? He personally viewed all the videos, that they said didn't exist, to prove it.

19 posted on 01/14/2020 10:33:40 AM PST by itsahoot (Welcome to the New USA where Islam is a religion of peace and Christianity is a mental disorder.)
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To: Joe Boucher
This rag of a woman is dirty in regards this whole fiasco of giving the shop to pakistani spies.

Amen, I couldn't agree more and that may be an understatement.

20 posted on 01/14/2020 10:36:00 AM PST by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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