DOJ: FBI had used 702 authorities to illegally spy on a member of Congress
On 3/6/2023, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “So, last week, the Department of Justice acknowledged that in 2020 they’d used — the FBI had used 702 authorities to illegally spy on a member of Congress. Can you tell us who that member of Congress was? Has that member of Congress been briefed by the White House?
KJP: I would refer you to the Department of Justice. Just not going to speak to that from here.
Chinese spy balloons, and now Chinese spy crane
Reporter: Well, there were the Chinese spy balloons, and now there are these Chinese spy cranes — the Wall Street Journal is comparing them to Trojan horses — in use at 80 percent of U.S. ports.
KJP: … So, on — on the cranes, don’t have to — don’t have any comment on that specific reporting. I would refer you to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense who have been tasked with Congress to study this particular issue. The National Security Council, in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense, Coast Guard, and members of the intelligence committee, have been actively working to address potential cyber vulnerabilities across the marine transportation system …
Reporter: And if this is a Department of Transportation lead, does Secretary Buttigieg have experience with —
KJP: It’s — it’s — it’s not just —
Reporter: — Chinese espionage?
KJP: It’s not just the Department of Transportation. It’s also Department of Defense.
TikTok national security risk CFIUS review
Reporter: a month ago, on February 6th, I had asked you about TikTok, whether it was a national security risk. And you had noted that there was an ongoing CFIUS review at the time. Just last week, there was a conversation about this as well. And you said that it is a, quote — or you talked about the, quote, “potential national security risk.” So, is CFIUS — just, if you could clarify: Does the White House believe that TikTok is a potential national security risk, or is that what CFIUS, when that process works itself through, will determine?
KJP: So, there’s a CFIUS investigation, so we try not to dive in too much because there is a CFIUS process that’s going — going — that’s ongoing, and we want to let that process go forward. But we have been very clear on our concerns like — with apps like TikTok. I’ve said that before. You’ve heard us say that from here. We know certain countries, including China, seek to leverage digital — digital technologies and Americans’ data in ways that can present national security risks.
Q: Texas bill deny undoc children access to public education A: blame GOP political stunts & refuse to deal
Reporter: I wondered, Karine, if you could comment on some efforts in Republican states, like Florida and Texas, where they’re cracking down on undocumented immigrants. In the Florida legislature, there’s a proposed bill that looks at requiring private companies to do more to check the immigration status of their employees. In Texas, there are lawmakers considering a bill that would deny undocumented children access to public education. Does the White House have any comment on these efforts?
KJP: … the President’s presidency and his tenure — first day of his tenure, he said very, very clearly that he took immigration reform very seriously …
Reporter: The Texas bill says that they would deny undocumented children access to public education unless the federal government pays for it. If this moves forward in Texas, is this something that the administration would consider intervening in?
KJP: Again, I’m just not — I’m not — I’m not going to get a … Republicans actually taking real action and not doing political stunts, because that’s what we see in these states, is continued political stunts and not really dealing with an issue that they can. If we came in a bipartisan way, we can actually deal with — with the immigration concerns in this country. But they refuse to do that.
Sen. Warren: Vice Chair counterweight to Chairman Powell
Reporter: Thank you. And can I just ask briefly on the Fed Chair search — the Vice Chair, excuse me, search: Is there any update you can give us? And, in particular, Senator Warren is a critic of Chairman Powell and has called on the administration to appointed a Vice Chair that is effectively a counterweight to Chairman Powell in decisions on interest rate hikes. Do you have a view on that? Are you, in essence, trying to counterweight the chairman in this process? And where’s the process at right now?
KJP: I’m certainly not going to get ahead of the President’s process or lay out what — what he’s thinking or how that process is going to move forward. What I can say is: This is
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FBI 702 authorities spy on Congress; Chinese spy crane, TikTok CFIUS review; migrants access to public education