The Justice Department on Tuesday unveiled new rules to limit the government surveillance of political candidates and those affiliated with their campaigns, a move to prevent future FBI surveillance abuses, which President Trump’s allies say occurred in the Russia election conspiracy investigation.
Attorney General William P. Barr issued two memos outlining a host of stringent new requirements for FBI and Justice Department officials dealing with sensitive political investigations.
Under the new rules, the FBI and Justice Department must discuss warning a political candidate, any member of their staff or advisers before seeking a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
If officials decide not to give a warning, the FBI director must outline in writing the reasons for keeping the warrant application quiet.
Mr. Barr also created an internal watchdog to audit the FBI’s compliance with FISA regulations. The unit, dubbed the Office of Internal Auditing, will help the FBI overcome gaps in its ability to monitor FISA applications before they are submitted to the court.
“FISA is a critical tool to ensuring the safety and security of Americans, particularly when it comes to fighting terrorism,” Mr. Barr said in a statement. “However, the American people must have confidence that the United States Government will exercise its surveillance authorities in a manner that protects the civil liberties of Americans, avoids interference in the political process, and complies with the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
“What happened to the Trump presidential campaign and his subsequent administration after the president was duly elected by the American people must never happen again,” he continued.
