Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty, one of eight Republican Senators who were the targets of illegal spying on their phone records by the Biden Department of Justice, has announced that he will not pursue taxpayer dollars as compensation for what the DOJ did.

The continuing resolution that was passed to reopen the federal government contained a provision tucked in the US Senate version that allowed Senators to sue the department of justice for $500,000 per occurrence. Hagerty says he will not take advantage of that provision.

Speaker Mike Johnson says the House will act next week to remove that provision with strong bipartisan support.
Congressman John Rose has filed a bill to accomplish that.

The special benefits provision in the continuing resolution, that was supposed to be “clean“ has sparked outrage from Republicans in the House.
In addition to the eight GOP Senators who were targeted by the Biden administration, it is likely that at least some House members were also subject to illegal review of their private phone records.

Senator Hagerty has previously indicated that he plans to sue his own phone carrier, Verizon for violation of his privacy.

Senator Marsha Blackburn has indicated that she does plan to use the provision in the Senate version of the continuing resolution to sue the Department of justice.