Former CIA Director John Brennan filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking to force the U.S. Justice Department to preserve records related to federal investigations into his role in a 2016 intelligence assessment that Russia boosted President Donald Trump's campaign. Brennan is asking a federal judge for a court order to ensure government records are preserved in the event he is criminally indicted.
Brennan's lawyers argue that these records and communications are essential to challenge any future prosecution, which they claim would be vindictive and initiated at Trump's behest. Brennan has described the investigations as targeting "phantom criminal conduct" and claims he is being "vindictively singled out." His complaint specifically notes that records could be lost due to the administration's use of ephemeral messaging apps like Signal and a failure to comply with federal recordkeeping laws.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami has been examining whether Brennan made false statements to Congress regarding the intelligence assessment and if he is part of a larger criminal conspiracy against Trump's constitutional rights. President Trump has long referred to the ties between his campaign and Russia as the "Russia Hoax" and has demanded prosecutions for those involved.
The lawsuit comes amid increasing court skepticism regarding Justice Department investigations of Trump's political adversaries, noting recent instances where judges blocked subpoenas in probes involving other officials. A Justice Department spokesperson did not comment on the existence of an investigation but stated it is "rich" that Brennan is accusing anyone of a "retribution campaign."