House Judiciary Committee Democrats are demanding the tapes and other investigative materials reportedly showing border czar Tom Homan accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents.<\/p>\n
The ask ignites a probe into the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI\u2019s handling of the matter, with Trump officials apparently shutting down an investigation that began leading into the 2024 election.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have video and audio recordings of White House \u2018Border Czar\u2019 Tom Homan accepting $50,000 in cash bribes from undercover FBI agents stuffed in a brown paper takeout bag from the restaurant chain Cava? It certainly sounds like you do,\u201d Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the panel, wrote in a letter signed by Democratic members of the committee.<\/p>\n
The request comes as the White House has shifted its response to the story, sparking more calls from Democrats to release any tapes.<\/p>\n
MSNBC reported Friday<\/a> that an informant relayed last year that Homan was soliciting payments from those looking to gain lucrative contracts should President Trump win the election.<\/p>\n Undercover FBI agents posing as contractors met with Homan in Texas, with video footage of the incident showing him accepting payment as he reportedly pledged to assist them in getting future contracts, according to the news outlet.<\/p>\n Prosecutors were reportedly eyeing four charges relating to the matter, but decided to wait until Homan assumed office after a Trump win. It’s unlawful to improperly influence federal contracting regardless of whether someone is able to deliver on their promise to do so. However, someone cannot be charged under federal bribery statutes until they are a public official.<\/p>\n Trump administration officials, however, blocked advancement of the investigation, according to MSNBC, prompting Raskin to ask for all case files and communications about the probe \u2014 including any had with the White House.<\/p>\n He also asks for \u201cdocumentation of any legal analysis used to justify closing the investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis startling episode is powerful evidence that Mr. Homan may have committed multiple federal felonies, including conspiracy to commit bribery. Your reported effort to shut down this investigation appears to be a brazen cover-up to protect Donald Trump\u2019s allies, at a time when the DOJ and FBI are also being ordered to aggressively pursue prosecution of Donald Trump\u2019s political enemies,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n Both DOJ and the FBI declined to comment.<\/p>\n