Columbia Standard

A group of Senate Democrats, led by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, has called upon U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate a potential breach of national security protocol within the Trump Administration. A letter outlining this request was signed by Durbin, Schumer, and 29 other Senate Democrats.

The matter at hand revolves around allegations that President Trump’s National Security Advisor, Michael Waltz, included The Atlantic’s editor in chief in a Signal chat with high-ranking national security officials. Sensitive information was reportedly shared through Signal, an unsecured messaging app, raising concerns about violations of federal criminal law.

The involved officials in the Signal chat included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, among others. Discussions reportedly involved sensitive military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. "The inclusion of a journalist in the chat is a serious breach in the proper handling of such information and deliberations," stated the Senators in their letter.

The Democrats' letter highlights the need for a Special Counsel when there is a conflict of interest or extraordinary circumstances, emphasizing that the situation meets these criteria. Despite reassurances and testimonies to the contrary from President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and other officials, the Senators believe that some shared information was classified.

The letter also suggests potential violations of the Espionage Act, the Federal Records Act, and other statutes related to handling national defense information. It raises concerns about testimony given to Congress and the possibility of false statements.

During Bondi’s confirmation hearings, she pledged that "no one is above the law." The Senators stress the need for an impartial investigation to verify this in relation to this incident. They concluded, "The people of this country deserve the assurance that this matter will be taken seriously and addressed swiftly."