Julian Epstein, a former Democratic official, has criticized the FBI's surveillance methods used during the Biden administration to track the Trump family’s travel and communications, comparing them to Nixon-era abuses. The FBI investigation, codenamed "Plasmic Echo," monitored first lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump’s movements and collected call metadata from Susie Wiles, now Chief of Staff to former President Trump. Epstein questioned the legal justification for surveilling contacts with lawyers and journalists, suggesting it was overreaching. This criticism comes as a rare instance of prominent Democrats voicing concern about investigative tactics that traditionally would be condemned by Republicans.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Revelations that the Biden-era FBI tracked Trump family travel and top aide Susie Wiles’ phone records received a blistering rebuke from a former top Democratic official who compared the behavior to Nixon-era abuses of federal power that surfaced amid the Watergate scandal.
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that → track → scandal
The FBI investigation codenamed "Plasmic Echo," later taken over by special counsel Jack Smith, examined Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified and national-defense material and possible obstruction.
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investigation → codename → material
Records show agents tracked first lady Melania Trump's and Barron Trump’s travel while planning the 2022 Mar-a-Lago search and later logged metadata from now-Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ calls with attorneys, journalists and others."
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agents → show → attorneys
Julian Epstein, the former chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee’s Democratic bench, compared the situation to the scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon.
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that → compare → Nixon
"It’s hard to think of good justifications for this.
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It → ’ → this
To me, it feels a little Nixonian," said Epstein, who also served as staff director to Democrats on a second powerful panel, the House Oversight Committee.
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who → feel → panel
If true, then those in charge at the time better have some darn good explanations for surveillance of family members and advisors talking privately to lawyers or exercising their free-speech rights with the newsmedia," he said.
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he → have → newsmedia
Nixon, a California Republican, maintained an "Enemies List" developed by White House aides around top adviser Charles Colson and later formalized by White House counsel John Dean.
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Nixon → maintain → Dean
Dean – now a vocal critic of Republicans like Trump – once described it in a 1971 memo as intended to "use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies."
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Dean → describe → enemies
Epstein questioned what legal justification investigators had for monitoring the contacts, particularly those involving lawyers and journalists.
"[That] seems like a stretch," he said.
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he → question → stretch
Epstein appeared to be among the few prominent Democrats publicly criticizing the newly disclosed investigative tactics Tuesday, including the tracking of Melania and Barron Trump’s travel and the collection of Wiles’ call metadata.
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Epstein → appear → metadata
Fox News Digital reached out to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who just months ago similarly broke party-silence to object to prior revelations from Smith’s probe.
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who → reach → probe
Blumenthal told Fox News Digital in July that Republicans were right to be upset that some of their communications were subpoenaed without their notice.
"
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some → tell → notice
I think we need to have more facts.
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we → think → facts
Republicans are rightly concerned about the possible breach of norms and improper access to email," Blumenthal said at the time.
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Blumenthal → concern → time
In a separate disclosure on July 14, the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee released records showing that Smith’s 2020-election investigation obtained and reviewed text messages exchanged between Trump White House officials and 44 current and former members of Congress, including Republicans and Democrats.
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investigation → lead → Republicans
Theo Wold, a former acting assistant U.S. attorney general under Trump who later served as Idaho’s solicitor general, said the new disclosures involving Melania, Barron and Wiles vindicate Republicans who have long warned of a so-called "Deep State."
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who → act → State
"But now we know that DOJ, the FBI, and the wider intelligence community have targeted Catholics, homeschool families, pro-life prayer warriors, and even the then-leading Republican Presidential candidate and his family," Wold said.
"
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Wold → know → Catholics
They have abused their authority for political gain.
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They → abuse → gain
They have wielded government power against innocent Americans to coordinate their attack on opposition political figures and dissident movements."
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They → wield → figures
The White House also condemned the newly disclosed tracking of Trump family travel and collection of Wiles’ call metadata.
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House → condemn → metadata
Spying on political opponents is weaponization of law enforcement, plain and simple," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.
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Bis → spy → Digital
"Those responsible must be held accountable."
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Those → hold → ?
On one day in March 2023, documents showed investigators logged metadata for 39 calls made or received by Wiles.
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investigators → show → Wiles
Calls to and from multiple campaign contacts, a lawyer and an extension associated with Melania Trump were among those logged in Wiles’ phone metadata.
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Calls → associate → metadata
Former RNC official Elizabeth Pipko highlighted Wiles as someone that critics should be emulating not celebrating the surveillance of.
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critics → highlight → surveillance
"She managed a historic and victorious presidential campaign and became the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff.
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She → manage → staff
Her story should inspire young women.
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story → inspire → women
Instead, hatred from President Trump’s opponents teaches young people that if you work for the ‘wrong’ candidate, you and those around you can become targets," Pipko told Fox News Digital.
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Pipko → teach → Digital
The revelations come after Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital exclusively that Smith’s probe had also captured communications with dozens of journalists, including some from Fox News.
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probe → come → News
Fox News Digital reached out to counsel for Smith for comment.
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Digital → reach → comment
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