A border patrol agent may have improperly questioned Ali Watkins about her sources. [View all]

[pnwmom]

Are journalists being targeted by the Trump administration?

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Scoop: A federal agent questioned @AliWatkins about her sources, and he had detailed records of her travel. He’s now being investigated, after we inquired about his actions. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/customs-and-border-protection-examining-agents-questioning-of-national-security-reporter/2018/06/12/05dac696-6e74-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html?utm_term=.3f73191435ef … by me, @mattzap, and @jackgillum

The agent works for Customs and Border Protection. Problem #1 with that: CBP doesn’t investigate national security leaks. Problem #2, the agent may have improperly accessed legally protected information about two people.

Rambo met with Watkins at a restaurant in Washington after initially contacting her by email. A reporter taking such a meeting with a potential source would not be unusual.

But after he arrived, Rambo said the administration was eager to investigate journalists and learn the identity of their confidential sources to stanch leaks of classified information. He questioned Watkins broadly about her reporting and how she developed information, according to the people familiar with the incident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

A spokesman for CBP, where Rambo works, said the agency “takes all allegations of employee misconduct seriously. The allegation has been immediately referred to CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility. We encourage all members of the public to report any potential misconduct immediately so that it may be investigated.” The agency took action after The Washington Post inquired about Rambo, who declined to comment.

Rambo was not part of the FBI’s investigation of Wolfe, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an open investigation.

Rambo’s search of travel records could be a crime if he didn’t have a legitimate reason to examine that information, which is protected by privacy laws and regulations that prevent unauthorized disclosures of personal information, officials said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/customs-and-border-protection-examining-agents-questioning-of-national-security-reporter/2018/06/12/05dac696-6e74-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html?utm_term=.8b7dfe474c23