Liberal Judge Thinks It’s OK To Target Trump Staffers

A federal bid to scrutinize a retired activist’s smartphone in the alleged doxxing of Trump aide Stephen Miller has stalled in Northern Virginia, where liberal local judges and prosecutors have resisted or narrowed investigative steps sought by the Justice Department. The impasse has deepened the long-running rift between Democratic-leaning officials in the Washington suburbs and the Trump administration’s security apparatus, sharpening disputes over privacy, protest rights, and the protection of political figures.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsey Vaala on Wednesday again rejected the FBI’s request for a warrant targeting the phone of 66-year-old Barbara Wien. Federal officials say they intend to appeal, arguing the device could show whether Wien lied during questioning or helped orchestrate conduct that endangered the Miller household. Vaala’s ruling followed a state-level inquiry in which Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti backed defense arguments to narrow an existing warrant and bar federal agents from accessing the material already recovered. ---More...