- United States
- Md.
- Letter
Investigate the FBI's unconstitutional targeting of peaceful protesters in Los Angeles. A whistleblower disclosure received by Sen. Alex Padilla's office alleges that the White House and DOJ leadership directed the Los Angeles FBI Field Office to open two separate investigations in 2025 based solely on individuals' participation in First Amendment-protected activity. According to the disclosure, Trump ordered one of those investigations after watching a TikTok video.
This is not a gray area. Agency policy and constitutional protections prohibit opening investigations on the basis of protected speech, and the whistleblower says concerns were raised internally and ignored. Meanwhile, the disclosure alleges these investigations pulled FBI agents and resources away from active drug trafficking, violent crime, and transnational criminal organization cases. Peaceful protest is not a crime, and the federal government has no business treating it like one.