Democrats in the House are stepping up their investigation of the Department of Homeland Security amid allegations of political interference, agents use of force against protesters, and more.
According to The Hill, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff sent a letter to DHS official Joseph Maher to inform him of the probe.
"Recent developments have obligated the Committee to expand the scope of its ongoing investigation," Schiff, a California Democrat, wrote.
"The Committee is continuing to probe [the Office of Intelligence & Analysis'] activities in Portland and in support of the Department's protests nationwide … However, based on information that has recently come to light, the Committee's investigation must now encompass and review a wider range of reported abuses, deficiencies, and problems, including allegations of improper politicization of intelligence and political interference in I&A's mission and activities."
Among the new developments are allegations that the DHS changed intelligence assessments to match what President Donald Trump says publicly. And Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf is accused of ordering another official there, Brian Murphy, to stop putting together intelligence reports about Russia's election interference efforts and instead focus on China and Iran.
That directive is said to have come from the White House.
Schiff's committee wants to interview several more people as it conducts its oversight probe, The Hill noted.